Quality of life comparison
If you lived in North Dakota instead of Michigan, you would:
Health
live 0.9 years longer
In Michigan, the average life expectancy is 76 years (76 years for men, 80 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 10.0% less likely to have diabetes
In Michigan, 10.0% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In North Dakota, that number is 9.0% as of 2022.
Economy
make 42.8% more money
Michigan has a GDP per capita of $55,508 as of 2024, while in North Dakota, the GDP per capita is $79,272 as of 2024.
be 47.9% less likely to be unemployed
In Michigan, 4.8% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In North Dakota, that number is 2.5% as of 2025.
be 21.3% less likely to live below the poverty line
In Michigan, 12.7% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In North Dakota, however, that number is 10.0% as of 2023.
Safety
be 42.1% less likely to be a victim of violent crime
Michigan has a violent crime rate of 453 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In North Dakota, that number is 262 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 24.2% more likely to be a victim of property crime
Michigan has a property crime rate of 1,533 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In North Dakota, that number is 1,904 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 13.8% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Michigan is $1,084 as of 2023, while in North Dakota, it is $934 as of 2023.
pay 10.8% more for a home
The median home value in Michigan is $217,600 as of 2023, compared to $241,100 in North Dakota as of 2023.
be 13.0% less likely to own your home
In Michigan, 72.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied as of 2023. In North Dakota, that number is 63.4% as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 6.4 minutes less
The average one-way commute in Michigan takes 24.4 minutes as of 2023. In North Dakota, it takes 18.0 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 93.6% less densely populated
Michigan has a population density of 68.5 people per sq km as of 2023. In North Dakota, that number is 4.4 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 54.3% less likely to be food insecure
In Michigan, 11.6% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In North Dakota, that number is 5.3% as of 2021.
be 30.6% more likely to be uninsured
In Michigan, 4.9% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In North Dakota, that number is 6.4% as of 2023.
live among residents who are 4.4 years older on average
The median age in Michigan is 40.1 years as of 2023. In North Dakota, the median age is 35.7 years as of 2023.
be 19.4% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Michigan, 3.1% 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), Bureau of Economic Analysis, FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
