Quality of life comparison
If you lived in North Carolina instead of Louisiana, you would:
Health
live 3.0 years longer
In Louisiana, the average life expectancy is 73 years (73 years for men, 79 years for women) as of 2020. In North Carolina, that number is 76 years (75 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2020.
be 17.2% less likely to be obese
In Louisiana, 40.6% of adults are obese as of 2022. In North Carolina, that number is 33.6% of people as of 2022.
be 19.5% less likely to have diabetes
In Louisiana, 13.3% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In North Carolina, that number is 10.7% as of 2022.
Economy
be 12.8% less likely to be unemployed
In Louisiana, 3.9% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In North Carolina, that number is 3.4% as of 2025.
be 34.2% less likely to live below the poverty line
In Louisiana, 18.4% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In North Carolina, however, that number is 12.1% as of 2023.
Safety
be 30.2% less likely to be a victim of violent crime
Louisiana has a violent crime rate of 543 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In North Carolina, that number is 379 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 23.3% less likely to be a victim of property crime
Louisiana has a property crime rate of 2,605 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In North Carolina, that number is 1,998 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 16.5% more money
The median household income in Louisiana is $60,023 as of 2023, while in North Carolina, it is $69,904 as of 2023.
pay 24.3% more for a home
The median home value in Louisiana is $208,700 as of 2023, compared to $259,400 in North Carolina as of 2023.
pay 11.9% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Louisiana is $1,038 as of 2023, while in North Carolina, it is $1,162 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 24.0% less likely to smoke
In Louisiana, 19.2% of adults smoke as of 2022. In North Carolina, that number is 14.6% as of 2022.
be 24.7% less likely to be physically inactive
In Louisiana, 29.5% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In North Carolina, that number is 22.2% as of 2022.
live among residents who are 1.3 years older on average
The median age in Louisiana is 37.8 years as of 2023. In North Carolina, the median age is 39.1 years as of 2023.
be 25.7% more likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Louisiana, 17.9% of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher as of 2023. In North Carolina, that number is 22.5% as of 2023.
be 71.4% more likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Louisiana, 2.8% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In North Carolina, that number is 4.8% as of 2023.
be 24.3% less likely to be food insecure
In Louisiana, 14.8% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In North Carolina, that number is 11.2% as of 2021.
be 21.5% more likely to be uninsured
In Louisiana, 7.9% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In North Carolina, that number is 9.6% as of 2023.
live in an area that is 2.1 times more densely populated
Louisiana has a population density of 40.7 people per sq km as of 2023. In North Carolina, that number is 86.2 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), Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
