Quality of life comparison
If you lived in North Carolina instead of Massachusetts, you would:
Health
live 2.9 years less
In Massachusetts, the average life expectancy is 79 years (78 years for men, 83 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 16.7% more likely to be obese
In Massachusetts, 28.8% of adults are obese as of 2022. In North Carolina, that number is 33.6% of people as of 2022.
be 21.6% more likely to have diabetes
In Massachusetts, 8.8% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In North Carolina, that number is 10.7% as of 2022.
Economy
be 27.7% less likely to be unemployed
In Massachusetts, 4.7% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In North Carolina, that number is 3.4% as of 2025.
make 32.5% less money
Massachusetts has a GDP per capita of $87,892 as of 2024, while in North Carolina, the GDP per capita is $59,308 as of 2024.
be 27.4% more likely to live below the poverty line
In Massachusetts, 9.5% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In North Carolina, however, that number is 12.1% as of 2023.
Safety
be 23.2% 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 North Carolina, that number is 379 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 85.5% 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 North Carolina, that number is 1,998 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 50.7% less for a home
The median home value in Massachusetts is $525,800 as of 2023, compared to $259,400 in North Carolina as of 2023.
pay 31.1% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Massachusetts is $1,687 as of 2023, while in North Carolina, it is $1,162 as of 2023.
earn 31.0% less money
The median household income in Massachusetts is $101,341 as of 2023, while in North Carolina, it is $69,904 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 4.2 minutes less
The average one-way commute in Massachusetts takes 29.3 minutes as of 2023. In North Carolina, it takes 25.1 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 75.2% less densely populated
Massachusetts has a population density of 348.0 people per sq km as of 2023. In North Carolina, that number is 86.2 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 3.7 times more likely to be uninsured
In Massachusetts, 2.6% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In North Carolina, that number is 9.6% as of 2023.
be 19.7% more likely to smoke
In Massachusetts, 12.2% of adults smoke as of 2022. In North Carolina, that number is 14.6% as of 2022.
be 30.1% less 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 North Carolina, that number is 22.5% as of 2023.
be 39.2% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Massachusetts, 7.9% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In North Carolina, that number is 4.8% as of 2023.
be 41.8% more likely to be food insecure
In Massachusetts, 7.9% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In North Carolina, that number is 11.2% 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.
