Quality of life comparison
If you lived in California instead of Indiana, you would:
Health
live 4.0 years longer
In Indiana, the average life expectancy is 75 years (74 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2020. In California, that number is 79 years (78 years for men, 83 years for women) as of 2020.
be 26.2% less likely to be obese
In Indiana, 38.5% of adults are obese as of 2022. In California, that number is 28.4% of people as of 2022.
Economy
make 42.2% more money
Indiana has a GDP per capita of $59,083 as of 2024, while in California, the GDP per capita is $84,028 as of 2024.
be 88.9% more likely to be unemployed
In Indiana, 2.7% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In California, that number is 5.1% as of 2025.
Safety
be 53.9% more likely to be a victim of violent crime
Indiana has a violent crime rate of 327 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In California, that number is 503 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 51.6% more likely to be a victim of property crime
Indiana has a property crime rate of 1,519 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In California, that number is 2,303 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 37.5% more money
The median household income in Indiana is $70,051 as of 2023, while in California, it is $96,334 as of 2023.
pay 3.4 times more for a home
The median home value in Indiana is $201,600 as of 2023, compared to $695,400 in California as of 2023.
pay 91.8% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Indiana is $1,020 as of 2023, while in California, it is $1,956 as of 2023.
be 20.7% less likely to own your home
In Indiana, 70.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied as of 2023. In California, that number is 55.8% as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 36.3% less likely to smoke
In Indiana, 18.2% of adults smoke as of 2022. In California, that number is 11.6% as of 2022.
be 18.5% less likely to be physically inactive
In Indiana, 27.5% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In California, that number is 22.4% as of 2022.
be 33.0% more likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Indiana, 18.8% of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher as of 2023. In California, that number is 25.0% as of 2023.
be 3.6 times more likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Indiana, 3.4% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In California, that number is 12.2% as of 2023.
commute 5.0 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in Indiana takes 24.0 minutes as of 2023. In California, it takes 29.0 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 30.9% more densely populated
Indiana has a population density of 74.1 people per sq km as of 2023. In California, that number is 97.0 people per sq km as of 2023.
The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: 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.
