Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Alaska instead of New Mexico, you would:
Health
live 2.1 years longer
In New Mexico, the average life expectancy is 74 years (74 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2020. In Alaska, that number is 77 years (76 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2020.
be 19.4% less likely to have diabetes
In New Mexico, 10.8% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In Alaska, that number is 8.7% as of 2022.
Economy
make 35.5% more money
New Mexico has a GDP per capita of $56,008 as of 2024, while in Alaska, the GDP per capita is $75,882 as of 2024.
be 44.1% less likely to live below the poverty line
In New Mexico, 17.7% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Alaska, however, that number is 9.9% as of 2023.
be 19.0% more likely to be unemployed
In New Mexico, 4.2% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Alaska, that number is 5.0% as of 2025.
Safety
be 35.0% 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 Alaska, that number is 1,868 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 43.8% more money
The median household income in New Mexico is $62,125 as of 2023, while in Alaska, it is $89,336 as of 2023.
pay 43.5% more for a home
The median home value in New Mexico is $232,200 as of 2023, compared to $333,300 in Alaska as of 2023.
pay 35.9% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in New Mexico is $1,021 as of 2023, while in Alaska, it is $1,388 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 3.7 minutes less
The average one-way commute in New Mexico takes 23.2 minutes as of 2023. In Alaska, it takes 19.5 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 92.6% less densely populated
New Mexico has a population density of 6.8 people per sq km as of 2023. In Alaska, that number is 0.5 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 20.9% less likely to be food insecure
In New Mexico, 13.4% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Alaska, that number is 10.6% as of 2021.
be 15.1% more likely to be uninsured
In New Mexico, 9.3% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Alaska, that number is 10.7% as of 2023.
live among residents who are 3.6 years older on average
The median age in New Mexico is 39.2 years as of 2023. In Alaska, the median age is 35.6 years as of 2023.
be 41.2% 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 Alaska, that number is 3.0% as of 2023.
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.
