Quality of life comparison
If you lived in North Dakota instead of Mississippi, you would:
Health
live 5.0 years longer
In Mississippi, the average life expectancy is 72 years (71 years for men, 78 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 11.5% less likely to be obese
In Mississippi, 41.9% of adults are obese as of 2022. In North Dakota, that number is 37.1% of people as of 2022.
be 33.8% less likely to have diabetes
In Mississippi, 13.6% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In North Dakota, that number is 9.0% as of 2022.
Economy
be 19.4% less likely to be unemployed
In Mississippi, 3.1% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In North Dakota, that number is 2.5% as of 2025.
be 45.7% less likely to live below the poverty line
In Mississippi, 18.4% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In North Dakota, however, that number is 10.0% as of 2023.
make 89.7% more money
Mississippi has a GDP per capita of $41,778 as of 2024, while in North Dakota, the GDP per capita is $79,272 as of 2024.
Safety
be 29.9% 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 North Dakota, that number is 262 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 20.5% more likely to be a victim of property crime
Mississippi has a property crime rate of 1,579 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In North Dakota, that number is 1,904 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 38.3% more money
The median household income in Mississippi is $54,915 as of 2023, while in North Dakota, it is $75,949 as of 2023.
pay 49.4% more for a home
The median home value in Mississippi is $161,400 as of 2023, compared to $241,100 in North Dakota as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 7.6 minutes less
The average one-way commute in Mississippi takes 25.6 minutes as of 2023. In North Dakota, it takes 18.0 minutes as of 2023.
be 43.4% less likely to be uninsured
In Mississippi, 11.3% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In North Dakota, that number is 6.4% as of 2023.
be 13.8% less likely to smoke
In Mississippi, 18.8% of adults smoke as of 2022. In North Dakota, that number is 16.2% as of 2022.
be 24.6% less likely to be physically inactive
In Mississippi, 31.7% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In North Dakota, that number is 23.9% as of 2022.
live in an area that is 81.8% less densely populated
Mississippi has a population density of 24.2 people per sq km as of 2023. In North Dakota, that number is 4.4 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 28.0% 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 North Dakota, that number is 20.6% as of 2023.
be 78.6% more likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Mississippi, 1.4% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In North Dakota, that number is 2.5% as of 2023.
be 67.5% less likely to be food insecure
In Mississippi, 16.3% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In North Dakota, that number is 5.3% as of 2021.
live among residents who are 2.7 years older on average
The median age in Mississippi is 38.4 years as of 2023. In North Dakota, the median age is 35.7 years as of 2023.
Sources: US Census Bureau (American Community Survey) (2023), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES) (2022), OECD Regional Demography (2020–2023), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (2023), Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025), Bureau of Economic Analysis (2024), Feeding America (2021). How we calculate this
