Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Kentucky instead of Nebraska, you would:
Health
live 4.2 years less
In Nebraska, the average life expectancy is 78 years (77 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2020. In Kentucky, that number is 74 years (73 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2020.
be 20.2% more likely to have diabetes
In Nebraska, 9.9% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In Kentucky, that number is 11.9% as of 2022.
Economy
make 31.7% less money
Nebraska has a GDP per capita of $73,391 as of 2024, while in Kentucky, the GDP per capita is $50,135 as of 2024.
be 16.7% more likely to be unemployed
In Nebraska, 3.0% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Kentucky, that number is 3.5% as of 2025.
be 57.1% more likely to live below the poverty line
In Nebraska, 9.8% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Kentucky, however, that number is 15.4% as of 2023.
Safety
be 21.3% less 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 Kentucky, that number is 1,525 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 14.1% less for a home
The median home value in Nebraska is $223,800 as of 2023, compared to $192,300 in Kentucky as of 2023.
earn 16.8% less money
The median household income in Nebraska is $74,985 as of 2023, while in Kentucky, it is $62,417 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 19.7% less likely to be uninsured
In Nebraska, 7.1% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Kentucky, that number is 5.7% as of 2023.
live among residents who are 2.0 years older on average
The median age in Nebraska is 37.1 years as of 2023. In Kentucky, the median age is 39.1 years as of 2023.
commute 4.9 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in Nebraska takes 19.1 minutes as of 2023. In Kentucky, it takes 24.0 minutes as of 2023.
be 27.2% more likely to smoke
In Nebraska, 14.7% of adults smoke as of 2022. In Kentucky, that number is 18.7% as of 2022.
live in an area that is 4.4 times more densely populated
Nebraska has a population density of 10.0 people per sq km as of 2023. In Kentucky, that number is 44.2 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 17.4% less 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 Kentucky, that number is 18.0% as of 2023.
be 41.9% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Nebraska, 4.3% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In Kentucky, that number is 2.5% as of 2023.
be 29.9% more likely to be food insecure
In Nebraska, 9.7% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Kentucky, that number is 12.6% 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.
