Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Illinois instead of Georgia, you would:
Health
live 1.2 years longer
In Georgia, the average life expectancy is 76 years (75 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2020. In Illinois, that number is 77 years (76 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2020.
be 10.2% less likely to have diabetes
In Georgia, 11.8% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In Illinois, that number is 10.6% as of 2022.
Economy
make 14.6% more money
Georgia has a GDP per capita of $61,706 as of 2024, while in Illinois, the GDP per capita is $70,691 as of 2024.
be 45.5% more likely to be unemployed
In Georgia, 3.3% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Illinois, that number is 4.8% as of 2025.
Safety
be 10.9% less likely to be a victim of violent crime
Georgia has a violent crime rate of 343 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Illinois, that number is 306 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 42.4% less likely to be uninsured
In Georgia, 11.8% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Illinois, that number is 6.8% as of 2023.
be 13.0% less likely to be physically inactive
In Georgia, 25.3% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In Illinois, that number is 22.0% as of 2022.
live among residents who are 1.5 years older on average
The median age in Georgia is 37.4 years as of 2023. In Illinois, the median age is 38.9 years as of 2023.
be 16.4% more likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Georgia, 21.9% of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher as of 2023. In Illinois, that number is 25.5% as of 2023.
be 25.9% more likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Georgia, 5.4% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In Illinois, that number is 6.8% as of 2023.
live in an area that is 19.0% more densely populated
Georgia has a population density of 73.8 people per sq km as of 2023. In Illinois, that number is 87.8 people per sq km as of 2023.
Sources: US Census Bureau (American Community Survey) (2023), OECD Regional Demography (2020–2023), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES) (2022), Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025), Bureau of Economic Analysis (2024), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (2023). How we calculate this
