Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Mississippi instead of Kentucky, you would:
Health
live 1.6 years less
In Kentucky, the average life expectancy is 74 years (73 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2020. In Mississippi, that number is 72 years (71 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2020.
be 14.3% more likely to have diabetes
In Kentucky, 11.9% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In Mississippi, that number is 13.6% as of 2022.
Economy
be 11.4% less likely to be unemployed
In Kentucky, 3.5% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Mississippi, that number is 3.1% as of 2025.
make 16.7% less money
Kentucky has a GDP per capita of $50,135 as of 2024, while in Mississippi, the GDP per capita is $41,778 as of 2024.
be 19.5% more likely to live below the poverty line
In Kentucky, 15.4% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Mississippi, however, that number is 18.4% as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 16.1% less for a home
The median home value in Kentucky is $192,300 as of 2023, compared to $161,400 in Mississippi as of 2023.
earn 12.0% less money
The median household income in Kentucky is $62,417 as of 2023, while in Mississippi, it is $54,915 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
live in an area that is 45.2% less densely populated
Kentucky has a population density of 44.2 people per sq km as of 2023. In Mississippi, that number is 24.2 people per sq km as of 2023.
commute 1.6 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in Kentucky takes 24.0 minutes as of 2023. In Mississippi, it takes 25.6 minutes as of 2023.
be 98.2% more likely to be uninsured
In Kentucky, 5.7% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Mississippi, that number is 11.3% as of 2023.
be 22.9% more likely to be physically inactive
In Kentucky, 25.8% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In Mississippi, that number is 31.7% as of 2022.
be 10.6% less 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 Mississippi, that number is 16.1% as of 2023.
be 44.0% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Kentucky, 2.5% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In Mississippi, that number is 1.4% as of 2023.
be 29.4% more likely to be food insecure
In Kentucky, 12.6% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Mississippi, that number is 16.3% 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.
