Quality of life comparison
If you lived in West Virginia instead of Maine, you would:
Health
live 5.0 years less
In Maine, the average life expectancy is 78 years (76 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2020. In West Virginia, that number is 73 years (72 years for men, 77 years for women) as of 2020.
be 22.0% more likely to be obese
In Maine, 33.2% of adults are obese as of 2022. In West Virginia, that number is 40.5% of people as of 2022.
be 55.4% more likely to have diabetes
In Maine, 8.3% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In West Virginia, that number is 12.9% as of 2022.
Economy
make 14.8% less money
Maine has a GDP per capita of $54,958 as of 2024, while in West Virginia, the GDP per capita is $46,834 as of 2024.
be 37.5% more likely to be unemployed
In Maine, 3.2% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In West Virginia, that number is 4.4% as of 2025.
be 59.8% more likely to live below the poverty line
In Maine, 10.2% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In West Virginia, however, that number is 16.3% as of 2023.
Safety
be 2.6 times more likely to be a victim of violent crime
Maine has a violent crime rate of 101 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In West Virginia, that number is 266 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 41.6% less for a home
The median home value in Maine is $266,400 as of 2023, compared to $155,600 in West Virginia as of 2023.
pay 21.6% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Maine is $1,084 as of 2023, while in West Virginia, it is $850 as of 2023.
earn 19.3% less money
The median household income in Maine is $71,773 as of 2023, while in West Virginia, it is $57,917 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 2.2 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in Maine takes 24.4 minutes as of 2023. In West Virginia, it takes 26.6 minutes as of 2023.
be 37.9% more likely to smoke
In Maine, 15.3% of adults smoke as of 2022. In West Virginia, that number is 21.1% as of 2022.
be 40.4% more likely to be physically inactive
In Maine, 21.3% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In West Virginia, that number is 29.9% as of 2022.
live among residents who are 2.1 years older on average
The median age in Maine is 44.8 years as of 2023. In West Virginia, the median age is 42.7 years as of 2023.
live in an area that is 62.3% more densely populated
Maine has a population density of 17.5 people per sq km as of 2023. In West Virginia, that number is 28.4 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 34.3% less likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Maine, 25.4% of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher as of 2023. In West Virginia, that number is 16.7% as of 2023.
be 52.9% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Maine, 1.7% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In West Virginia, that number is 0.8% as of 2023.
be 15.7% more likely to be food insecure
In Maine, 10.2% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In West Virginia, that number is 11.8% 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, FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
