Quality of life comparison
If you lived in West Virginia instead of Montana, you would:
Health
live 4.0 years less
In Montana, the average life expectancy is 77 years (76 years for men, 81 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.
be 27.4% more likely to be obese
In Montana, 31.8% of adults are obese as of 2022. In West Virginia, that number is 40.5% of people as of 2022.
be 63.3% more likely to have diabetes
In Montana, 7.9% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In West Virginia, that number is 12.9% as of 2022.
Economy
make 11.5% less money
Montana has a GDP per capita of $52,945 as of 2024, while in West Virginia, the GDP per capita is $46,834 as of 2024.
be 18.9% more likely to be unemployed
In Montana, 3.7% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In West Virginia, that number is 4.4% as of 2025.
be 43.0% more likely to live below the poverty line
In Montana, 11.4% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In West Virginia, however, that number is 16.3% as of 2023.
Safety
be 39.2% 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 West Virginia, that number is 266 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 34.0% less 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 West Virginia, that number is 1,198 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 54.0% less for a home
The median home value in Montana is $338,100 as of 2023, compared to $155,600 in West Virginia as of 2023.
pay 17.6% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Montana is $1,031 as of 2023, while in West Virginia, it is $850 as of 2023.
earn 17.2% less money
The median household income in Montana is $69,922 as of 2023, while in West Virginia, it is $57,917 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 23.8% less likely to be uninsured
In Montana, 8.0% 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 2.5 years older on average
The median age in Montana is 40.2 years as of 2023. In West Virginia, the median age is 42.7 years as of 2023.
commute 7.4 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in Montana takes 19.2 minutes as of 2023. In West Virginia, it takes 26.6 minutes as of 2023.
be 31.9% more likely to smoke
In Montana, 16.0% of adults smoke as of 2022. In West Virginia, that number is 21.1% as of 2022.
be 44.4% more likely to be physically inactive
In Montana, 20.7% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In West Virginia, that number is 29.9% as of 2022.
live in an area that is 9.5 times more densely populated
Montana has a population density of 3.0 people per sq km as of 2023. In West Virginia, that number is 28.4 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 28.0% 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 West Virginia, that number is 16.7% as of 2023.
be 20.0% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Montana, 1.0% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In West Virginia, that number is 0.8% as of 2023.
be 43.9% more likely to be food insecure
In Montana, 8.2% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In West Virginia, that number is 11.8% 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.
