Quality of life comparison
If you lived in West Virginia instead of Mississippi, you would:
Health
live 0.9 years longer
In Mississippi, the average life expectancy is 72 years (71 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2020. In West Virginia, that number is 73 years (72 years for men, 77 years for women) as of 2020.
Economy
make 12.1% more money
Mississippi has a GDP per capita of $41,778 as of 2024, while in West Virginia, the GDP per capita is $46,834 as of 2024.
be 11.4% less likely to live below the poverty line
In Mississippi, 18.4% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In West Virginia, however, that number is 16.3% as of 2023.
be 41.9% more likely to be unemployed
In Mississippi, 3.1% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In West Virginia, that number is 4.4% as of 2025.
Safety
be 24.2% less 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 West Virginia, that number is 1,198 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 31.9% 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 West Virginia, that number is 266 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 46.0% less likely to be uninsured
In Mississippi, 11.3% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In West Virginia, that number is 6.1% as of 2023.
live among residents who are 4.3 years older on average
The median age in Mississippi is 38.4 years as of 2023. In West Virginia, the median age is 42.7 years as of 2023.
be 27.6% less likely to be food insecure
In Mississippi, 16.3% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In West Virginia, that number is 11.8% as of 2021.
be 12.2% more likely to smoke
In Mississippi, 18.8% of adults smoke as of 2022. In West Virginia, that number is 21.1% as of 2022.
live in an area that is 17.4% more densely populated
Mississippi has a population density of 24.2 people per sq km as of 2023. In West Virginia, that number is 28.4 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 42.9% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Mississippi, 1.4% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In West Virginia, that number is 0.8% 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.
