Quality of life comparison
If you lived in West Virginia instead of Idaho, you would:
Health
live 5.6 years less
In Idaho, the average life expectancy is 78 years (78 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2020. In West Virginia, that number is 73 years (72 years for men, 77 years for women) as of 2020.
be 20.9% more likely to be obese
In Idaho, 33.5% of adults are obese as of 2022. In West Virginia, that number is 40.5% of people as of 2022.
be 43.3% more likely to have diabetes
In Idaho, 9.0% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In West Virginia, that number is 12.9% as of 2022.
Economy
be 25.7% more likely to be unemployed
In Idaho, 3.5% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In West Virginia, that number is 4.4% as of 2025.
be 68.0% more likely to live below the poverty line
In Idaho, 9.7% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In West Virginia, however, that number is 16.3% as of 2023.
Safety
be 17.5% 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 West Virginia, that number is 266 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 52.8% 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 West Virginia, that number is 1,198 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 58.6% less for a home
The median home value in Idaho is $376,000 as of 2023, compared to $155,600 in West Virginia as of 2023.
pay 26.1% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Idaho is $1,150 as of 2023, while in West Virginia, it is $850 as of 2023.
earn 22.4% less money
The median household income in Idaho is $74,636 as of 2023, while in West Virginia, it is $57,917 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 28.2% less likely to be uninsured
In Idaho, 8.5% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In West Virginia, that number is 6.1% as of 2023.
live among residents who are 5.6 years older on average
The median age in Idaho is 37.1 years as of 2023. In West Virginia, the median age is 42.7 years as of 2023.
commute 5.0 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in Idaho takes 21.6 minutes as of 2023. In West Virginia, it takes 26.6 minutes as of 2023.
be 55.1% more likely to smoke
In Idaho, 13.6% of adults smoke as of 2022. In West Virginia, that number is 21.1% as of 2022.
be 34.7% more likely to be physically inactive
In Idaho, 22.2% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In West Virginia, that number is 29.9% as of 2022.
live in an area that is 3.1 times more densely populated
Idaho has a population density of 9.2 people per sq km as of 2023. In West Virginia, that number is 28.4 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 12.6% less likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Idaho, 19.1% of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher as of 2023. In West Virginia, that number is 16.7% as of 2023.
be 72.4% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Idaho, 2.9% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In West Virginia, that number is 0.8% as of 2023.
be 53.2% more likely to be food insecure
In Idaho, 7.7% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In West Virginia, that number is 11.8% 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), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
