Quality of life comparison
If you lived in West Virginia instead of New Mexico, you would:
Health
live 1.7 years less
In New Mexico, the average life expectancy is 74 years (74 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2020. In West Virginia, that number is 73 years (72 years for men, 77 years for women) as of 2020.
be 25.8% more likely to be obese
In New Mexico, 32.2% of adults are obese as of 2022. In West Virginia, that number is 40.5% of people as of 2022.
be 19.4% more likely to have diabetes
In New Mexico, 10.8% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In West Virginia, that number is 12.9% as of 2022.
Economy
make 16.4% less money
New Mexico has a GDP per capita of $56,008 as of 2024, while in West Virginia, the GDP per capita is $46,834 as of 2024.
Safety
be 64.3% 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 West Virginia, that number is 266 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 58.3% 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 West Virginia, that number is 1,198 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 33.0% less for a home
The median home value in New Mexico is $232,200 as of 2023, compared to $155,600 in West Virginia as of 2023.
pay 16.7% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in New Mexico is $1,021 as of 2023, while in West Virginia, it is $850 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 34.4% less likely to be uninsured
In New Mexico, 9.3% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In West Virginia, that number is 6.1% as of 2023.
live among residents who are 3.5 years older on average
The median age in New Mexico is 39.2 years as of 2023. In West Virginia, the median age is 42.7 years as of 2023.
be 11.9% less likely to be food insecure
In New Mexico, 13.4% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In West Virginia, that number is 11.8% as of 2021.
commute 3.4 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in New Mexico takes 23.2 minutes as of 2023. In West Virginia, it takes 26.6 minutes as of 2023.
be 28.7% more likely to smoke
In New Mexico, 16.4% of adults smoke as of 2022. In West Virginia, that number is 21.1% as of 2022.
be 26.7% more likely to be physically inactive
In New Mexico, 23.6% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In West Virginia, that number is 29.9% as of 2022.
live in an area that is 4.2 times more densely populated
New Mexico has a population density of 6.8 people per sq km as of 2023. In West Virginia, that number is 28.4 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 18.9% 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 West Virginia, that number is 16.7% as of 2023.
be 84.3% 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 West Virginia, that number is 0.8% 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), US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), Bureau of Economic Analysis, FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
