Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Iowa instead of New Mexico, you would:
Health
live 3.0 years longer
In New Mexico, the average life expectancy is 74 years (74 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2020. In Iowa, that number is 78 years (76 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2020.
be 20.2% more likely to be obese
In New Mexico, 32.2% of adults are obese as of 2022. In Iowa, that number is 38.7% of people as of 2022.
Economy
make 13.8% more money
New Mexico has a GDP per capita of $56,008 as of 2024, while in Iowa, the GDP per capita is $63,747 as of 2024.
be 21.4% less likely to be unemployed
In New Mexico, 4.2% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Iowa, that number is 3.3% as of 2025.
be 40.7% less likely to live below the poverty line
In New Mexico, 17.7% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Iowa, however, that number is 10.5% as of 2023.
Safety
be 62.8% 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 Iowa, that number is 277 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 50.3% 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 Iowa, that number is 1,427 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 17.7% more money
The median household income in New Mexico is $62,125 as of 2023, while in Iowa, it is $73,147 as of 2023.
pay 15.6% less for a home
The median home value in New Mexico is $232,200 as of 2023, compared to $195,900 in Iowa as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 3.4 minutes less
The average one-way commute in New Mexico takes 23.2 minutes as of 2023. In Iowa, it takes 19.8 minutes as of 2023.
be 49.5% less likely to be uninsured
In New Mexico, 9.3% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Iowa, that number is 4.7% as of 2023.
be 44.8% less likely to be food insecure
In New Mexico, 13.4% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Iowa, that number is 7.4% as of 2021.
live in an area that is 3.3 times more densely populated
New Mexico has a population density of 6.8 people per sq km as of 2023. In Iowa, that number is 22.2 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 39.2% 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 Iowa, that number is 3.1% 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.
