Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Alaska instead of Idaho, you would:
Health
live 1.8 years less
In Idaho, the average life expectancy is 78 years (78 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2020. In Alaska, that number is 77 years (76 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2020.
Economy
make 54.7% more money
Idaho has a GDP per capita of $49,054 as of 2024, while in Alaska, the GDP per capita is $75,882 as of 2024.
be 42.9% more likely to be unemployed
In Idaho, 3.5% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Alaska, that number is 5.0% as of 2025.
Safety
be 3.2 times more likely to be a victim of violent crime
Idaho has a violent crime rate of 226 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Alaska, that number is 722 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 2.4 times more likely to be a victim of property crime
Idaho has a property crime rate of 784 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Alaska, that number is 1,868 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 19.7% more money
The median household income in Idaho is $74,636 as of 2023, while in Alaska, it is $89,336 as of 2023.
pay 11.4% less for a home
The median home value in Idaho is $376,000 as of 2023, compared to $333,300 in Alaska as of 2023.
pay 20.7% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Idaho is $1,150 as of 2023, while in Alaska, it is $1,388 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 2.1 minutes less
The average one-way commute in Idaho takes 21.6 minutes as of 2023. In Alaska, it takes 19.5 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 94.6% less densely populated
Idaho has a population density of 9.2 people per sq km as of 2023. In Alaska, that number is 0.5 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 25.9% more likely to be uninsured
In Idaho, 8.5% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Alaska, that number is 10.7% as of 2023.
be 23.5% more likely to smoke
In Idaho, 13.6% of adults smoke as of 2022. In Alaska, that number is 16.8% as of 2022.
live among residents who are 1.5 years older on average
The median age in Idaho is 37.1 years as of 2023. In Alaska, the median age is 35.6 years as of 2023.
be 37.7% more likely to be food insecure
In Idaho, 7.7% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Alaska, that number is 10.6% as of 2021.
The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: Feeding America, OECD Regional Demography, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), Bureau of Economic Analysis, FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
