Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Iowa instead of Kentucky, you would:
Health
live 4.0 years longer
In Kentucky, the average life expectancy is 74 years (73 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2020. In Iowa, that number is 78 years (76 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2020.
be 16.8% less likely to have diabetes
In Kentucky, 11.9% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In Iowa, that number is 9.9% as of 2022.
Economy
make 27.2% more money
Kentucky has a GDP per capita of $50,135 as of 2024, while in Iowa, the GDP per capita is $63,747 as of 2024.
be 31.8% less likely to live below the poverty line
In Kentucky, 15.4% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Iowa, however, that number is 10.5% as of 2023.
Safety
be 25.8% more likely to be a victim of violent crime
Kentucky has a violent crime rate of 220 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Iowa, that number is 277 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 17.2% more money
The median household income in Kentucky is $62,417 as of 2023, while in Iowa, it is $73,147 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 4.2 minutes less
The average one-way commute in Kentucky takes 24.0 minutes as of 2023. In Iowa, it takes 19.8 minutes as of 2023.
be 17.5% less likely to be uninsured
In Kentucky, 5.7% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Iowa, that number is 4.7% as of 2023.
be 12.3% less likely to smoke
In Kentucky, 18.7% of adults smoke as of 2022. In Iowa, that number is 16.4% as of 2022.
live in an area that is 49.8% less densely populated
Kentucky has a population density of 44.2 people per sq km as of 2023. In Iowa, that number is 22.2 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 13.3% more likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Kentucky, 18.0% of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher as of 2023. In Iowa, that number is 20.4% as of 2023.
be 24.0% more likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Kentucky, 2.5% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In Iowa, that number is 3.1% as of 2023.
be 41.3% less likely to be food insecure
In Kentucky, 12.6% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Iowa, that number is 7.4% 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), US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), Bureau of Economic Analysis, FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
