Quality of life comparison
If you lived in California instead of Nebraska, you would:
Health
live 1.3 years longer
In Nebraska, the average life expectancy is 78 years (77 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2020. In California, that number is 79 years (78 years for men, 83 years for women) as of 2020.
be 24.1% less likely to be obese
In Nebraska, 37.4% of adults are obese as of 2022. In California, that number is 28.4% of people as of 2022.
Economy
make 14.5% more money
Nebraska has a GDP per capita of $73,391 as of 2024, while in California, the GDP per capita is $84,028 as of 2024.
be 70.0% more likely to be unemployed
In Nebraska, 3.0% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In California, that number is 5.1% as of 2025.
be 19.4% more likely to live below the poverty line
In Nebraska, 9.8% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In California, however, that number is 11.7% as of 2023.
Safety
be 2.2 times more likely to be a victim of violent crime
Nebraska has a violent crime rate of 225 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In California, that number is 503 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 18.9% more likely to be a victim of property crime
Nebraska has a property crime rate of 1,937 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In California, that number is 2,303 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 28.5% more money
The median household income in Nebraska is $74,985 as of 2023, while in California, it is $96,334 as of 2023.
pay 3.1 times more for a home
The median home value in Nebraska is $223,800 as of 2023, compared to $695,400 in California as of 2023.
pay 89.0% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Nebraska is $1,035 as of 2023, while in California, it is $1,956 as of 2023.
be 16.1% less likely to own your home
In Nebraska, 66.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied as of 2023. In California, that number is 55.8% as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 21.1% less likely to smoke
In Nebraska, 14.7% of adults smoke as of 2022. In California, that number is 11.6% as of 2022.
be 14.7% more likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Nebraska, 21.8% of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher as of 2023. In California, that number is 25.0% as of 2023.
be 2.8 times more likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Nebraska, 4.3% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In California, that number is 12.2% as of 2023.
commute 9.9 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in Nebraska takes 19.1 minutes as of 2023. In California, it takes 29.0 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 9.7 times more densely populated
Nebraska has a population density of 10.0 people per sq km as of 2023. In California, that number is 97.0 people per sq km as of 2023.
The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: 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.
