Quality of life comparison
If you lived in District of Columbia instead of Massachusetts, you would:
Health
be 12.2% less likely to be obese
In Massachusetts, 28.8% of adults are obese as of 2022. In District of Columbia, that number is 25.3% of people as of 2022.
live 1.0 years less
In Massachusetts, the average life expectancy is 79 years (78 years for men, 83 years for women) as of 2020. In District of Columbia, that number is 78 years (75 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2019.
Economy
make 2.4 times more money
Massachusetts has a GDP per capita of $87,892 as of 2024, while in District of Columbia, the GDP per capita is $209,167 as of 2024.
be 36.2% more likely to be unemployed
In Massachusetts, 4.7% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In District of Columbia, that number is 6.4% as of 2025.
be 43.2% more likely to live below the poverty line
In Massachusetts, 9.5% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In District of Columbia, however, that number is 13.6% as of 2023.
Safety
be 3.7 times more likely to be a victim of violent crime
Massachusetts has a violent crime rate of 308 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In District of Columbia, that number is 1,126 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 3.9 times more likely to be a victim of property crime
Massachusetts has a property crime rate of 1,077 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In District of Columbia, that number is 4,216 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 37.8% more for a home
The median home value in Massachusetts is $525,800 as of 2023, compared to $724,600 in District of Columbia as of 2023.
pay 12.6% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Massachusetts is $1,687 as of 2023, while in District of Columbia, it is $1,900 as of 2023.
be 34.3% less likely to own your home
In Massachusetts, 62.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied as of 2023. In District of Columbia, that number is 41.1% as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 27.2% less likely to be physically inactive
In Massachusetts, 21.3% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In District of Columbia, that number is 15.5% as of 2022.
be 37.9% more likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Massachusetts, 32.2% of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher as of 2023. In District of Columbia, that number is 44.4% as of 2023.
be 26.9% more likely to be uninsured
In Massachusetts, 2.6% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In District of Columbia, that number is 3.3% as of 2023.
live among residents who are 5.1 years older on average
The median age in Massachusetts is 40.0 years as of 2023. In District of Columbia, the median age is 34.9 years as of 2023.
live in an area that is 12.4 times more densely populated
Massachusetts has a population density of 348.0 people per sq km as of 2023. In District of Columbia, that number is 4,322.8 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 17.7% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Massachusetts, 7.9% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In District of Columbia, that number is 6.5% as of 2023.
be 25.3% more likely to be food insecure
In Massachusetts, 7.9% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In District of Columbia, that number is 9.9% 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.
