Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Mississippi instead of New Mexico, you would:
Health
live 2.6 years less
In New Mexico, the average life expectancy is 74 years (74 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2020. In Mississippi, that number is 72 years (71 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2020.
be 30.1% more likely to be obese
In New Mexico, 32.2% of adults are obese as of 2022. In Mississippi, that number is 41.9% of people as of 2022.
be 25.9% more likely to have diabetes
In New Mexico, 10.8% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In Mississippi, that number is 13.6% as of 2022.
Economy
be 26.2% less likely to be unemployed
In New Mexico, 4.2% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Mississippi, that number is 3.1% as of 2025.
make 25.4% less money
New Mexico has a GDP per capita of $56,008 as of 2024, while in Mississippi, the GDP per capita is $41,778 as of 2024.
Safety
be 72.9% 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 Mississippi, that number is 202 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 45.0% 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 Mississippi, that number is 1,579 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 30.5% less for a home
The median home value in New Mexico is $232,200 as of 2023, compared to $161,400 in Mississippi as of 2023.
earn 11.6% less money
The median household income in New Mexico is $62,125 as of 2023, while in Mississippi, it is $54,915 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 2.4 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in New Mexico takes 23.2 minutes as of 2023. In Mississippi, it takes 25.6 minutes as of 2023.
be 21.5% more likely to be uninsured
In New Mexico, 9.3% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Mississippi, that number is 11.3% as of 2023.
be 14.6% more likely to smoke
In New Mexico, 16.4% of adults smoke as of 2022. In Mississippi, that number is 18.8% as of 2022.
be 34.3% more likely to be physically inactive
In New Mexico, 23.6% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In Mississippi, that number is 31.7% as of 2022.
live in an area that is 3.6 times more densely populated
New Mexico has a population density of 6.8 people per sq km as of 2023. In Mississippi, that number is 24.2 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 21.8% 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 Mississippi, that number is 16.1% as of 2023.
be 72.5% 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 Mississippi, that number is 1.4% as of 2023.
be 21.6% more likely to be food insecure
In New Mexico, 13.4% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Mississippi, that number is 16.3% 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), Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), Bureau of Economic Analysis, FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
