Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Alabama instead of Mississippi, you would:
Health
live 1.3 years longer
In Mississippi, the average life expectancy is 72 years (71 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2020. In Alabama, that number is 73 years (72 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2020.
Economy
make 17.8% more money
Mississippi has a GDP per capita of $41,778 as of 2024, while in Alabama, the GDP per capita is $49,225 as of 2024.
be 25.8% less likely to be unemployed
In Mississippi, 3.1% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Alabama, that number is 2.3% as of 2025.
be 19.6% less likely to live below the poverty line
In Mississippi, 18.4% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Alabama, however, that number is 14.8% as of 2023.
Safety
be 96.9% more likely to be a victim of violent crime
Mississippi has a violent crime rate of 202 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Alabama, that number is 397 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 13.0% more money
The median household income in Mississippi is $54,915 as of 2023, while in Alabama, it is $62,027 as of 2023.
pay 20.9% more for a home
The median home value in Mississippi is $161,400 as of 2023, compared to $195,100 in Alabama as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 20.4% less likely to be uninsured
In Mississippi, 11.3% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Alabama, that number is 9.0% as of 2023.
be 12.0% less likely to be physically inactive
In Mississippi, 31.7% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In Alabama, that number is 27.9% as of 2022.
be 14.3% more likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Mississippi, 16.1% of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher as of 2023. In Alabama, that number is 18.4% as of 2023.
be 57.1% more likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Mississippi, 1.4% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In Alabama, that number is 2.2% as of 2023.
be 11.7% less likely to be food insecure
In Mississippi, 16.3% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Alabama, that number is 14.4% as of 2021.
live in an area that is 60.7% more densely populated
Mississippi has a population density of 24.2 people per sq km as of 2023. In Alabama, that number is 38.9 people per sq km 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.
