Quality of life comparison
If you lived in New Mexico instead of Iowa, you would:
Health
be 16.8% less likely to be obese
In Iowa, 38.7% of adults are obese as of 2022. In New Mexico, that number is 32.2% of people as of 2022.
live 3.0 years less
In Iowa, the average life expectancy is 78 years (76 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.
Economy
make 12.1% less money
Iowa has a GDP per capita of $63,747 as of 2024, while in New Mexico, the GDP per capita is $56,008 as of 2024.
be 27.3% more likely to be unemployed
In Iowa, 3.3% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In New Mexico, that number is 4.2% as of 2025.
be 68.6% more likely to live below the poverty line
In Iowa, 10.5% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In New Mexico, however, that number is 17.7% as of 2023.
Safety
be 2.7 times more likely to be a victim of violent crime
Iowa has a violent crime rate of 277 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In New Mexico, that number is 745 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 2.0 times more likely to be a victim of property crime
Iowa has a property crime rate of 1,427 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In New Mexico, that number is 2,872 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 15.1% less money
The median household income in Iowa is $73,147 as of 2023, while in New Mexico, it is $62,125 as of 2023.
pay 18.5% more for a home
The median home value in Iowa is $195,900 as of 2023, compared to $232,200 in New Mexico as of 2023.
Lifestyle
live in an area that is 69.4% less densely populated
Iowa has a population density of 22.2 people per sq km as of 2023. In New Mexico, that number is 6.8 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 64.5% more likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Iowa, 3.1% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In New Mexico, that number is 5.1% as of 2023.
commute 3.4 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in Iowa takes 19.8 minutes as of 2023. In New Mexico, it takes 23.2 minutes as of 2023.
be 97.9% more likely to be uninsured
In Iowa, 4.7% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In New Mexico, that number is 9.3% as of 2023.
be 81.1% more likely to be food insecure
In Iowa, 7.4% 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.
