Quality of life comparison
If you lived in New Mexico instead of Idaho, you would:
Health
live 3.9 years less
In Idaho, the average life expectancy is 78 years (78 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2020. In New Mexico, that number is 74 years (74 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2020.
be 20.0% more likely to have diabetes
In Idaho, 9.0% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In New Mexico, that number is 10.8% as of 2022.
Economy
make 14.2% more money
Idaho has a GDP per capita of $49,054 as of 2024, while in New Mexico, the GDP per capita is $56,008 as of 2024.
be 20.0% more likely to be unemployed
In Idaho, 3.5% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In New Mexico, that number is 4.2% as of 2025.
be 82.5% more likely to live below the poverty line
In Idaho, 9.7% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In New Mexico, however, that number is 17.7% as of 2023.
Safety
be 3.3 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 New Mexico, that number is 745 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 3.7 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 New Mexico, that number is 2,872 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 38.2% less for a home
The median home value in Idaho is $376,000 as of 2023, compared to $232,200 in New Mexico as of 2023.
pay 11.2% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Idaho is $1,150 as of 2023, while in New Mexico, it is $1,021 as of 2023.
earn 16.8% less money
The median household income in Idaho is $74,636 as of 2023, while in New Mexico, it is $62,125 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
live among residents who are 2.1 years older on average
The median age in Idaho is 37.1 years as of 2023. In New Mexico, the median age is 39.2 years as of 2023.
live in an area that is 26.1% less densely populated
Idaho has a population density of 9.2 people per sq km as of 2023. In New Mexico, that number is 6.8 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 75.9% more likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Idaho, 2.9% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In New Mexico, that number is 5.1% as of 2023.
commute 1.6 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in Idaho takes 21.6 minutes as of 2023. In New Mexico, it takes 23.2 minutes as of 2023.
be 20.6% more likely to smoke
In Idaho, 13.6% of adults smoke as of 2022. In New Mexico, that number is 16.4% as of 2022.
be 74.0% more likely to be food insecure
In Idaho, 7.7% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In New Mexico, that number is 13.4% 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.
