Quality of life comparison
If you lived in North Dakota instead of Massachusetts, you would:
Health
live 2.1 years less
In Massachusetts, the average life expectancy is 79 years (78 years for men, 83 years for women) as of 2020. In North Dakota, that number is 77 years (76 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2020.
be 28.8% more likely to be obese
In Massachusetts, 28.8% of adults are obese as of 2022. In North Dakota, that number is 37.1% of people as of 2022.
Economy
be 46.8% less likely to be unemployed
In Massachusetts, 4.7% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In North Dakota, that number is 2.5% as of 2025.
Safety
be 14.7% less 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 Dakota, that number is 262 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 76.7% 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 Dakota, that number is 1,904 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 54.1% less for a home
The median home value in Massachusetts is $525,800 as of 2023, compared to $241,100 in North Dakota as of 2023.
pay 44.6% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Massachusetts is $1,687 as of 2023, while in North Dakota, it is $934 as of 2023.
earn 25.1% less money
The median household income in Massachusetts is $101,341 as of 2023, while in North Dakota, it is $75,949 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 11.3 minutes less
The average one-way commute in Massachusetts takes 29.3 minutes as of 2023. In North Dakota, it takes 18.0 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 98.7% less densely populated
Massachusetts has a population density of 348.0 people per sq km as of 2023. In North Dakota, that number is 4.4 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 32.9% less likely to be food insecure
In Massachusetts, 7.9% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In North Dakota, that number is 5.3% as of 2021.
be 2.5 times more likely to be uninsured
In Massachusetts, 2.6% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In North Dakota, that number is 6.4% as of 2023.
be 32.8% more likely to smoke
In Massachusetts, 12.2% of adults smoke as of 2022. In North Dakota, that number is 16.2% as of 2022.
be 12.2% more likely to be physically inactive
In Massachusetts, 21.3% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In North Dakota, that number is 23.9% as of 2022.
live among residents who are 4.3 years older on average
The median age in Massachusetts is 40.0 years as of 2023. In North Dakota, the median age is 35.7 years as of 2023.
be 36.0% 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 Dakota, that number is 20.6% as of 2023.
be 68.4% 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 Dakota, that number is 2.5% 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.
