Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Virginia instead of New Mexico, you would:
Health
live 3.1 years longer
In New Mexico, the average life expectancy is 74 years (74 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2020. In Virginia, that number is 78 years (77 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2020.
Economy
make 23.4% more money
New Mexico has a GDP per capita of $56,008 as of 2024, while in Virginia, the GDP per capita is $69,111 as of 2024.
be 19.0% less likely to be unemployed
In New Mexico, 4.2% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Virginia, that number is 3.4% as of 2025.
be 46.9% less likely to live below the poverty line
In New Mexico, 17.7% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Virginia, however, that number is 9.4% as of 2023.
Safety
be 68.9% 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 Virginia, that number is 232 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 43.3% 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 Virginia, that number is 1,628 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 46.4% more money
The median household income in New Mexico is $62,125 as of 2023, while in Virginia, it is $90,974 as of 2023.
pay 55.3% more for a home
The median home value in New Mexico is $232,200 as of 2023, compared to $360,700 in Virginia as of 2023.
pay 48.3% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in New Mexico is $1,021 as of 2023, while in Virginia, it is $1,514 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 28.0% less likely to be uninsured
In New Mexico, 9.3% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Virginia, that number is 6.7% as of 2023.
be 16.5% less likely to smoke
In New Mexico, 16.4% of adults smoke as of 2022. In Virginia, that number is 13.7% as of 2022.
be 10.6% less likely to be physically inactive
In New Mexico, 23.6% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In Virginia, that number is 21.1% as of 2022.
be 35.0% 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 Virginia, that number is 27.8% as of 2023.
be 41.0% less likely to be food insecure
In New Mexico, 13.4% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Virginia, that number is 7.9% as of 2021.
commute 4.4 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in New Mexico takes 23.2 minutes as of 2023. In Virginia, it takes 27.6 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 12.5 times more densely populated
New Mexico has a population density of 6.8 people per sq km as of 2023. In Virginia, that number is 85.2 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), Bureau of Economic Analysis, FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
