Quality of life comparison
If you lived in North Carolina instead of New Mexico, you would:
Health
live 1.6 years longer
In New Mexico, the average life expectancy is 74 years (74 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2020. In North Carolina, that number is 76 years (75 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2020.
Economy
be 19.0% less likely to be unemployed
In New Mexico, 4.2% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In North Carolina, that number is 3.4% as of 2025.
be 31.6% less likely to live below the poverty line
In New Mexico, 17.7% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In North Carolina, however, that number is 12.1% as of 2023.
Safety
be 49.2% 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 North Carolina, that number is 379 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 30.4% 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 North Carolina, that number is 1,998 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 12.5% more money
The median household income in New Mexico is $62,125 as of 2023, while in North Carolina, it is $69,904 as of 2023.
pay 11.7% more for a home
The median home value in New Mexico is $232,200 as of 2023, compared to $259,400 in North Carolina as of 2023.
pay 13.8% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in New Mexico is $1,021 as of 2023, while in North Carolina, it is $1,162 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 11.0% less likely to smoke
In New Mexico, 16.4% of adults smoke as of 2022. In North Carolina, that number is 14.6% as of 2022.
be 16.4% less likely to be food insecure
In New Mexico, 13.4% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In North Carolina, that number is 11.2% as of 2021.
commute 1.9 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in New Mexico takes 23.2 minutes as of 2023. In North Carolina, it takes 25.1 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 12.7 times more densely populated
New Mexico has a population density of 6.8 people per sq km as of 2023. In North Carolina, that number is 86.2 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), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
