Quality of life comparison
If you lived in West Virginia instead of New Jersey, you would:
Health
live 4.7 years less
In New Jersey, the average life expectancy is 78 years (78 years for men, 82 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 35.0% more likely to be obese
In New Jersey, 30.0% of adults are obese as of 2022. In West Virginia, that number is 40.5% of people as of 2022.
be 37.2% more likely to have diabetes
In New Jersey, 9.4% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In West Virginia, that number is 12.9% as of 2022.
Economy
make 33.8% less money
New Jersey has a GDP per capita of $70,788 as of 2024, while in West Virginia, the GDP per capita is $46,834 as of 2024.
be 75.3% more likely to live below the poverty line
In New Jersey, 9.3% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In West Virginia, however, that number is 16.3% as of 2023.
Safety
be 19.1% less likely to be a victim of property crime
New Jersey has a property crime rate of 1,481 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In West Virginia, that number is 1,198 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 23.5% more likely to be a victim of violent crime
New Jersey has a violent crime rate of 215 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In West Virginia, that number is 266 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 63.6% less for a home
The median home value in New Jersey is $427,600 as of 2023, compared to $155,600 in West Virginia as of 2023.
pay 48.6% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in New Jersey is $1,653 as of 2023, while in West Virginia, it is $850 as of 2023.
be 16.6% more likely to own your home
In New Jersey, 63.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied as of 2023. In West Virginia, that number is 74.3% as of 2023.
earn 42.7% less money
The median household income in New Jersey is $101,050 as of 2023, while in West Virginia, it is $57,917 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 4.3 minutes less
The average one-way commute in New Jersey takes 30.9 minutes as of 2023. In West Virginia, it takes 26.6 minutes as of 2023.
be 14.1% less likely to be uninsured
In New Jersey, 7.1% 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 2.6 years older on average
The median age in New Jersey is 40.1 years as of 2023. In West Virginia, the median age is 42.7 years as of 2023.
live in an area that is 94.2% less densely populated
New Jersey has a population density of 488.2 people per sq km as of 2023. In West Virginia, that number is 28.4 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 77.3% more likely to smoke
In New Jersey, 11.9% of adults smoke as of 2022. In West Virginia, that number is 21.1% as of 2022.
be 28.3% more likely to be physically inactive
In New Jersey, 23.3% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In West Virginia, that number is 29.9% as of 2022.
be 42.4% less likely to have a bachelor's degree
In New Jersey, 29.0% 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 91.9% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In New Jersey, 9.9% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In West Virginia, that number is 0.8% as of 2023.
be 38.8% more likely to be food insecure
In New Jersey, 8.5% 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), US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), Bureau of Economic Analysis, FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
