Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Virginia instead of Kentucky, you would:
Health
live 4.1 years longer
In Kentucky, the average life expectancy is 74 years (73 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2020. In Virginia, that number is 78 years (77 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2020.
Economy
make 37.8% more money
Kentucky has a GDP per capita of $50,135 as of 2024, while in Virginia, the GDP per capita is $69,111 as of 2024.
be 39.0% less likely to live below the poverty line
In Kentucky, 15.4% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Virginia, however, that number is 9.4% as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 45.8% more money
The median household income in Kentucky is $62,417 as of 2023, while in Virginia, it is $90,974 as of 2023.
pay 87.6% more for a home
The median home value in Kentucky is $192,300 as of 2023, compared to $360,700 in Virginia as of 2023.
pay 62.3% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Kentucky is $933 as of 2023, while in Virginia, it is $1,514 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 26.7% less likely to smoke
In Kentucky, 18.7% of adults smoke as of 2022. In Virginia, that number is 13.7% as of 2022.
be 18.2% less likely to be physically inactive
In Kentucky, 25.8% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In Virginia, that number is 21.1% as of 2022.
be 54.4% 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 Virginia, that number is 27.8% as of 2023.
be 2.2 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 Virginia, that number is 5.5% as of 2023.
be 37.3% less likely to be food insecure
In Kentucky, 12.6% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Virginia, that number is 7.9% as of 2021.
commute 3.6 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in Kentucky takes 24.0 minutes as of 2023. In Virginia, it takes 27.6 minutes as of 2023.
be 17.5% more likely to be uninsured
In Kentucky, 5.7% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Virginia, that number is 6.7% as of 2023.
live in an area that is 92.8% more densely populated
Kentucky has a population density of 44.2 people per sq km as of 2023. In Virginia, that number is 85.2 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), US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), Bureau of Economic Analysis.
