Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Portugal instead of Kentucky, you would:

Health

live 8.0 years longer

In Kentucky, the average life expectancy is 74 years (73 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2020. In Portugal, that number is 82 years (78 years for men, 85 years for women) as of 2022.

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Economy

make 16.8% less money

Kentucky has a GDP per capita of $50,135 as of 2024, while in Portugal, the GDP per capita is $41,700 as of 2023.

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be 85.4% more likely to be unemployed

In Kentucky, 3.5% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Portugal, that number is 6.5% as of 2023.

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The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: OECD Regional Demography, Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, The World Factbook.

Compare further: Kentucky vs. Portugal
Cost of Living Comparison · 7 categories - 2026 data
Portugal is 11.6% cheaper than Kentucky
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Size Comparison · See true size
Kentucky is around the same size as Portugal.
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Portugal: At a glance

Portugal is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 91,470 sq km. Following its heyday as a global maritime power during the 15th and 16th centuries, Portugal lost much of its wealth and status with the destruction of Lisbon in a 1755 earthquake, occupation during the Napoleonic Wars, and the independence of Brazil, its wealthiest colony, in 1822. A 1910 revolution deposed the monarchy; for most of the next six decades, repressive governments ran the country. In 1974, a left-wing military coup installed broad democratic reforms. The following year, Portugal granted independence to all of its African colonies. Portugal is a founding member of NATO and entered the EC (now the EU) in 1986.
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How big is Portugal compared to Kentucky? See an in-depth size comparison.

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