Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Pennsylvania instead of Mississippi, you would:
Health
live 4.9 years longer
In Mississippi, the average life expectancy is 72 years (71 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2020. In Pennsylvania, that number is 77 years (76 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2020.
be 17.9% less likely to be obese
In Mississippi, 41.9% of adults are obese as of 2022. In Pennsylvania, that number is 34.4% of people as of 2022.
be 24.3% less likely to have diabetes
In Mississippi, 13.6% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In Pennsylvania, that number is 10.3% as of 2022.
Economy
make 47.2% more money
Mississippi has a GDP per capita of $41,778 as of 2024, while in Pennsylvania, the GDP per capita is $61,506 as of 2024.
be 38.6% less likely to live below the poverty line
In Mississippi, 18.4% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Pennsylvania, however, that number is 11.3% as of 2023.
be 19.4% more likely to be unemployed
In Mississippi, 3.1% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Pennsylvania, that number is 3.7% as of 2025.
Safety
be 31.0% 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 Pennsylvania, that number is 264 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 38.5% more money
The median household income in Mississippi is $54,915 as of 2023, while in Pennsylvania, it is $76,081 as of 2023.
pay 49.0% more for a home
The median home value in Mississippi is $161,400 as of 2023, compared to $240,500 in Pennsylvania as of 2023.
pay 25.9% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Mississippi is $923 as of 2023, while in Pennsylvania, it is $1,162 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 51.3% less likely to be uninsured
In Mississippi, 11.3% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Pennsylvania, that number is 5.5% as of 2023.
be 10.6% less likely to smoke
In Mississippi, 18.8% of adults smoke as of 2022. In Pennsylvania, that number is 16.8% as of 2022.
be 25.9% less likely to be physically inactive
In Mississippi, 31.7% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In Pennsylvania, that number is 23.5% as of 2022.
live among residents who are 2.5 years older on average
The median age in Mississippi is 38.4 years as of 2023. In Pennsylvania, the median age is 40.9 years as of 2023.
be 50.3% 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 Pennsylvania, that number is 24.2% as of 2023.
be 2.4 times more likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Mississippi, 1.4% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In Pennsylvania, that number is 3.3% as of 2023.
be 42.9% less likely to be food insecure
In Mississippi, 16.3% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Pennsylvania, that number is 9.3% as of 2021.
live in an area that is 4.6 times more densely populated
Mississippi has a population density of 24.2 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, 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.
