Quality of life comparison
If you lived in California instead of New Mexico, you would:
Health
live 4.5 years longer
In New Mexico, the average life expectancy is 74 years (74 years for men, 80 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 11.8% less likely to be obese
In New Mexico, 32.2% of adults are obese as of 2022. In California, that number is 28.4% of people as of 2022.
Economy
make 50.0% more money
New Mexico has a GDP per capita of $56,008 as of 2024, while in California, the GDP per capita is $84,028 as of 2024.
be 33.9% less likely to live below the poverty line
In New Mexico, 17.7% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In California, however, that number is 11.7% as of 2023.
be 21.4% more likely to be unemployed
In New Mexico, 4.2% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In California, that number is 5.1% as of 2025.
Safety
be 32.5% 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 California, that number is 503 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 19.8% 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 California, that number is 2,303 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 55.1% more money
The median household income in New Mexico is $62,125 as of 2023, while in California, it is $96,334 as of 2023.
pay 3.0 times more for a home
The median home value in New Mexico is $232,200 as of 2023, compared to $695,400 in California as of 2023.
pay 91.6% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in New Mexico is $1,021 as of 2023, while in California, it is $1,956 as of 2023.
be 19.5% less likely to own your home
In New Mexico, 69.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied as of 2023. In California, that number is 55.8% as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 26.9% less likely to be uninsured
In New Mexico, 9.3% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In California, that number is 6.8% as of 2023.
be 29.3% less likely to smoke
In New Mexico, 16.4% of adults smoke as of 2022. In California, that number is 11.6% as of 2022.
be 21.4% more 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 California, that number is 25.0% as of 2023.
be 2.4 times more likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In New Mexico, 5.1% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In California, that number is 12.2% as of 2023.
be 22.4% less likely to be food insecure
In New Mexico, 13.4% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In California, that number is 10.4% as of 2021.
commute 5.8 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in New Mexico takes 23.2 minutes as of 2023. In California, it takes 29.0 minutes as of 2023.
live among residents who are 1.6 years older on average
The median age in New Mexico is 39.2 years as of 2023. In California, the median age is 37.6 years as of 2023.
live in an area that is 14.3 times more densely populated
New Mexico has a population density of 6.8 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: 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.
