Quality of life comparison
If you lived in New Mexico instead of Montana, you would:
Health
live 2.3 years less
In Montana, the average life expectancy is 77 years (76 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2020. In New Mexico, that number is 74 years (74 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2020.
be 36.7% more likely to have diabetes
In Montana, 7.9% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In New Mexico, that number is 10.8% as of 2022.
Economy
be 13.5% more likely to be unemployed
In Montana, 3.7% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In New Mexico, that number is 4.2% as of 2025.
be 55.3% more likely to live below the poverty line
In Montana, 11.4% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In New Mexico, however, that number is 17.7% as of 2023.
Safety
be 70.4% more likely to be a victim of violent crime
Montana has a violent crime rate of 437 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In New Mexico, that number is 745 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 58.3% more likely to be a victim of property crime
Montana has a property crime rate of 1,815 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In New Mexico, that number is 2,872 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 31.3% less for a home
The median home value in Montana is $338,100 as of 2023, compared to $232,200 in New Mexico as of 2023.
earn 11.2% less money
The median household income in Montana is $69,922 as of 2023, while in New Mexico, it is $62,125 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 5.1 times more likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Montana, 1.0% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In New Mexico, that number is 5.1% as of 2023.
commute 4.0 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in Montana takes 19.2 minutes as of 2023. In New Mexico, it takes 23.2 minutes as of 2023.
be 16.3% more likely to be uninsured
In Montana, 8.0% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In New Mexico, that number is 9.3% as of 2023.
be 14.0% more likely to be physically inactive
In Montana, 20.7% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In New Mexico, that number is 23.6% as of 2022.
live in an area that is 2.3 times more densely populated
Montana has a population density of 3.0 people per sq km as of 2023. In New Mexico, that number is 6.8 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 11.2% less likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Montana, 23.2% of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher as of 2023. In New Mexico, that number is 20.6% as of 2023.
be 63.4% more likely to be food insecure
In Montana, 8.2% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In New Mexico, that number is 13.4% as of 2021.
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), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
