Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Pennsylvania instead of Michigan, you would:
Health
live 0.8 years longer
In Michigan, the average life expectancy is 76 years (76 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2020. In Pennsylvania, that number is 77 years (76 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2020.
Economy
make 10.8% more money
Michigan has a GDP per capita of $55,508 as of 2024, while in Pennsylvania, the GDP per capita is $61,506 as of 2024.
be 22.9% less likely to be unemployed
In Michigan, 4.8% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Pennsylvania, that number is 3.7% as of 2025.
be 11.0% less likely to live below the poverty line
In Michigan, 12.7% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Pennsylvania, however, that number is 11.3% as of 2023.
Safety
be 41.6% 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 Pennsylvania, that number is 264 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 10.5% more for a home
The median home value in Michigan is $217,600 as of 2023, compared to $240,500 in Pennsylvania as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 10.5% more likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Michigan, 21.9% of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher as of 2023. In Pennsylvania, that number is 24.2% as of 2023.
be 19.8% less likely to be food insecure
In Michigan, 11.6% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Pennsylvania, that number is 9.3% as of 2021.
commute 2.2 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in Michigan takes 24.4 minutes as of 2023. In Pennsylvania, it takes 26.6 minutes as of 2023.
be 12.2% more likely to be uninsured
In Michigan, 4.9% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Pennsylvania, that number is 5.5% as of 2023.
live in an area that is 63.8% more densely populated
Michigan has a population density of 68.5 people per sq km as of 2023. In Pennsylvania, that number is 112.2 people per sq km as of 2023.
The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: Feeding America, OECD Regional Demography, Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), Bureau of Economic Analysis, FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
