Quality of life comparison
If you lived in California instead of Kansas, you would:
Health
live 2.6 years longer
In Kansas, the average life expectancy is 76 years (76 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 22.8% less likely to be obese
In Kansas, 36.8% of adults are obese as of 2022. In California, that number is 28.4% of people as of 2022.
Economy
make 37.8% more money
Kansas has a GDP per capita of $60,996 as of 2024, while in California, the GDP per capita is $84,028 as of 2024.
be 50.0% more likely to be unemployed
In Kansas, 3.4% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In California, that number is 5.1% as of 2025.
Safety
be 18.6% more likely to be a victim of violent crime
Kansas has a violent crime rate of 424 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In California, that number is 503 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 11.3% more likely to be a victim of property crime
Kansas has a property crime rate of 2,068 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In California, that number is 2,303 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 32.6% more money
The median household income in Kansas is $72,639 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 Kansas is $203,400 as of 2023, compared to $695,400 in California as of 2023.
pay 90.1% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Kansas is $1,029 as of 2023, while in California, it is $1,956 as of 2023.
be 16.6% less likely to own your home
In Kansas, 66.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied as of 2023. In California, that number is 55.8% as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 20.9% less likely to be uninsured
In Kansas, 8.6% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In California, that number is 6.8% as of 2023.
be 26.6% less likely to smoke
In Kansas, 15.8% of adults smoke as of 2022. In California, that number is 11.6% as of 2022.
be 3.0 times more likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Kansas, 4.1% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In California, that number is 12.2% as of 2023.
commute 9.2 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in Kansas takes 19.8 minutes as of 2023. In California, it takes 29.0 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 7.0 times more densely populated
Kansas has a population density of 13.9 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.
