Quality of life comparison
If you lived in West Virginia instead of Indiana, you would:
Health
live 2.2 years less
In Indiana, the average life expectancy is 75 years (74 years for men, 80 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 14.2% more likely to have diabetes
In Indiana, 11.3% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In West Virginia, that number is 12.9% as of 2022.
Economy
make 20.7% less money
Indiana has a GDP per capita of $59,083 as of 2024, while in West Virginia, the GDP per capita is $46,834 as of 2024.
be 63.0% more likely to be unemployed
In Indiana, 2.7% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In West Virginia, that number is 4.4% as of 2025.
be 40.5% more likely to live below the poverty line
In Indiana, 11.6% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In West Virginia, however, that number is 16.3% as of 2023.
Safety
be 18.6% less likely to be a victim of violent crime
Indiana has a violent crime rate of 327 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In West Virginia, that number is 266 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 21.1% less 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 West Virginia, that number is 1,198 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 22.8% less for a home
The median home value in Indiana is $201,600 as of 2023, compared to $155,600 in West Virginia as of 2023.
pay 16.7% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Indiana is $1,020 as of 2023, while in West Virginia, it is $850 as of 2023.
earn 17.3% less money
The median household income in Indiana is $70,051 as of 2023, while in West Virginia, it is $57,917 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 16.4% less likely to be uninsured
In Indiana, 7.3% 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 4.7 years older on average
The median age in Indiana is 38.0 years as of 2023. In West Virginia, the median age is 42.7 years as of 2023.
live in an area that is 61.7% less densely populated
Indiana has a population density of 74.1 people per sq km as of 2023. In West Virginia, that number is 28.4 people per sq km as of 2023.
commute 2.6 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in Indiana takes 24.0 minutes as of 2023. In West Virginia, it takes 26.6 minutes as of 2023.
be 15.9% more likely to smoke
In Indiana, 18.2% of adults smoke as of 2022. In West Virginia, that number is 21.1% as of 2022.
be 11.2% less 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 West Virginia, that number is 16.7% as of 2023.
be 76.5% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Indiana, 3.4% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In West Virginia, that number is 0.8% as of 2023.
be 12.4% more likely to be food insecure
In Indiana, 10.5% 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), Bureau of Economic Analysis, FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
