Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Washington instead of Massachusetts, you would:
Economy
be 12.8% more likely to be unemployed
In Massachusetts, 4.7% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Washington, that number is 5.3% as of 2025.
Safety
be 13.4% 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 Washington, that number is 349 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 2.6 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 Washington, that number is 2,819 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 2.3 minutes less
The average one-way commute in Massachusetts takes 29.3 minutes as of 2023. In Washington, it takes 27.0 minutes as of 2023.
be 10.7% less likely to smoke
In Massachusetts, 12.2% of adults smoke as of 2022. In Washington, that number is 10.9% as of 2022.
be 19.2% less likely to be physically inactive
In Massachusetts, 21.3% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In Washington, that number is 17.2% as of 2022.
live in an area that is 86.9% less densely populated
Massachusetts has a population density of 348.0 people per sq km as of 2023. In Washington, that number is 45.6 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 2.3 times more likely to be uninsured
In Massachusetts, 2.6% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Washington, that number is 6.1% as of 2023.
live among residents who are 1.8 years older on average
The median age in Massachusetts is 40.0 years as of 2023. In Washington, the median age is 38.2 years as of 2023.
be 18.6% 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 Washington, that number is 26.2% as of 2023.
The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: OECD Regional Demography, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
