Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Alabama instead of New Mexico, you would:
Health
live 1.3 years less
In New Mexico, the average life expectancy is 74 years (74 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2020. In Alabama, that number is 73 years (72 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2020.
be 23.0% more likely to be obese
In New Mexico, 32.2% of adults are obese as of 2022. In Alabama, that number is 39.6% of people as of 2022.
be 18.5% more likely to have diabetes
In New Mexico, 10.8% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In Alabama, that number is 12.8% as of 2022.
Economy
be 45.2% less likely to be unemployed
In New Mexico, 4.2% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Alabama, that number is 2.3% as of 2025.
be 16.4% less likely to live below the poverty line
In New Mexico, 17.7% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Alabama, however, that number is 14.8% as of 2023.
make 12.1% less money
New Mexico has a GDP per capita of $56,008 as of 2024, while in Alabama, the GDP per capita is $49,225 as of 2024.
Safety
be 46.7% less likely to be a victim of violent crime
New Mexico has a violent crime rate of 745 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Alabama, that number is 397 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 41.8% less likely to be a victim of property crime
New Mexico has a property crime rate of 2,872 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Alabama, that number is 1,671 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 16.0% less for a home
The median home value in New Mexico is $232,200 as of 2023, compared to $195,100 in Alabama as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 2.2 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in New Mexico takes 23.2 minutes as of 2023. In Alabama, it takes 25.4 minutes as of 2023.
be 18.2% more likely to be physically inactive
In New Mexico, 23.6% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In Alabama, that number is 27.9% as of 2022.
live in an area that is 5.7 times more densely populated
New Mexico has a population density of 6.8 people per sq km as of 2023. In Alabama, that number is 38.9 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 10.7% less likely to have a bachelor's degree
In New Mexico, 20.6% of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher as of 2023. In Alabama, that number is 18.4% as of 2023.
be 56.9% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In New Mexico, 5.1% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In Alabama, that number is 2.2% 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.
