Quality of life comparison
If you lived in New York instead of Montana, you would:
Health
live 0.9 years longer
In Montana, the average life expectancy is 77 years (76 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2020. In New York, that number is 78 years (78 years for men, 83 years for women) as of 2020.
be 27.8% more likely to have diabetes
In Montana, 7.9% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In New York, that number is 10.1% as of 2022.
Economy
make 73.8% more money
Montana has a GDP per capita of $52,945 as of 2024, while in New York, the GDP per capita is $91,992 as of 2024.
be 18.9% more likely to be unemployed
In Montana, 3.7% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In New York, that number is 4.4% as of 2025.
be 16.7% more likely to live below the poverty line
In Montana, 11.4% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In New York, however, that number is 13.3% as of 2023.
Safety
be 12.8% less 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 York, that number is 381 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 21.0% more money
The median household income in Montana is $69,922 as of 2023, while in New York, it is $84,578 as of 2023.
pay 19.2% more for a home
The median home value in Montana is $338,100 as of 2023, compared to $403,000 in New York as of 2023.
pay 52.9% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Montana is $1,031 as of 2023, while in New York, it is $1,576 as of 2023.
be 21.8% less likely to own your home
In Montana, 69.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied as of 2023. In New York, that number is 54.3% as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 37.5% less likely to be uninsured
In Montana, 8.0% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In New York, that number is 5.0% as of 2023.
be 20.0% less likely to smoke
In Montana, 16.0% of adults smoke as of 2022. In New York, that number is 12.8% as of 2022.
be 19.4% more 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 York, that number is 27.7% as of 2023.
be 9.1 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 York, that number is 9.1% as of 2023.
commute 13.6 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in Montana takes 19.2 minutes as of 2023. In New York, it takes 32.8 minutes as of 2023.
be 21.3% more likely to be physically inactive
In Montana, 20.7% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In New York, that number is 25.1% as of 2022.
live in an area that is 53.8 times more densely populated
Montana has a population density of 3.0 people per sq km as of 2023. In New York, that number is 161.4 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 37.8% more likely to be food insecure
In Montana, 8.2% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In New York, that number is 11.3% 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), Bureau of Economic Analysis, FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
