Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Rhode Island instead of Kentucky, you would:
Health
live 4.7 years longer
In Kentucky, the average life expectancy is 74 years (73 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2020. In Rhode Island, that number is 78 years (77 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2020.
be 17.3% less likely to be obese
In Kentucky, 38.2% of adults are obese as of 2022. In Rhode Island, that number is 31.6% of people as of 2022.
be 14.3% less likely to have diabetes
In Kentucky, 11.9% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In Rhode Island, that number is 10.2% as of 2022.
Economy
make 13.6% more money
Kentucky has a GDP per capita of $50,135 as of 2024, while in Rhode Island, the GDP per capita is $56,938 as of 2024.
be 33.1% less likely to live below the poverty line
In Kentucky, 15.4% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Rhode Island, however, that number is 10.3% as of 2023.
be 25.7% more likely to be unemployed
In Kentucky, 3.5% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Rhode Island, that number is 4.4% as of 2025.
Safety
be 25.1% less likely to be a victim of violent crime
Kentucky has a violent crime rate of 220 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Rhode Island, that number is 165 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 27.7% less likely to be a victim of property crime
Kentucky has a property crime rate of 1,525 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Rhode Island, that number is 1,102 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 38.4% more money
The median household income in Kentucky is $62,417 as of 2023, while in Rhode Island, it is $86,372 as of 2023.
pay 91.8% more for a home
The median home value in Kentucky is $192,300 as of 2023, compared to $368,800 in Rhode Island as of 2023.
pay 36.4% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Kentucky is $933 as of 2023, while in Rhode Island, it is $1,273 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 26.3% less likely to be uninsured
In Kentucky, 5.7% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Rhode Island, that number is 4.2% as of 2023.
be 26.7% less likely to smoke
In Kentucky, 18.7% of adults smoke as of 2022. In Rhode Island, that number is 13.7% as of 2022.
live among residents who are 1.4 years older on average
The median age in Kentucky is 39.1 years as of 2023. In Rhode Island, the median age is 40.5 years as of 2023.
be 44.4% 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 Rhode Island, that number is 26.0% as of 2023.
be 2.6 times more likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Kentucky, 2.5% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In Rhode Island, that number is 6.6% as of 2023.
be 27.0% less likely to be food insecure
In Kentucky, 12.6% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Rhode Island, that number is 9.2% as of 2021.
commute 1.5 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in Kentucky takes 24.0 minutes as of 2023. In Rhode Island, it takes 25.5 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 9.2 times more densely populated
Kentucky has a population density of 44.2 people per sq km as of 2023. In Rhode Island, that number is 407.8 people per sq km as of 2023.
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.
