Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Alaska instead of New York, you would:
Health
be 13.9% less likely to have diabetes
In New York, 10.1% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In Alaska, that number is 8.7% as of 2022.
live 1.1 years less
In New York, the average life expectancy is 78 years (78 years for men, 83 years for women) as of 2020. In Alaska, that number is 77 years (76 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2020.
Economy
be 25.6% less likely to live below the poverty line
In New York, 13.3% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Alaska, however, that number is 9.9% as of 2023.
make 17.5% less money
New York has a GDP per capita of $91,992 as of 2024, while in Alaska, the GDP per capita is $75,882 as of 2024.
be 13.6% more likely to be unemployed
In New York, 4.4% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Alaska, that number is 5.0% as of 2025.
Safety
be 89.4% more likely to be a victim of violent crime
New York has a violent crime rate of 381 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Alaska, that number is 722 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 17.3% less for a home
The median home value in New York is $403,000 as of 2023, compared to $333,300 in Alaska as of 2023.
pay 11.9% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in New York is $1,576 as of 2023, while in Alaska, it is $1,388 as of 2023.
be 22.7% more likely to own your home
In New York, 54.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied as of 2023. In Alaska, that number is 66.6% as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 13.3 minutes less
The average one-way commute in New York takes 32.8 minutes as of 2023. In Alaska, it takes 19.5 minutes as of 2023.
be 10.4% less likely to be physically inactive
In New York, 25.1% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In Alaska, that number is 22.5% as of 2022.
live in an area that is 99.7% less densely populated
New York has a population density of 161.4 people per sq km as of 2023. In Alaska, that number is 0.5 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 2.1 times more likely to be uninsured
In New York, 5.0% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Alaska, that number is 10.7% as of 2023.
be 31.2% more likely to smoke
In New York, 12.8% of adults smoke as of 2022. In Alaska, that number is 16.8% as of 2022.
live among residents who are 4.0 years older on average
The median age in New York is 39.6 years as of 2023. In Alaska, the median age is 35.6 years as of 2023.
be 25.3% less likely to have a bachelor's degree
In New York, 27.7% of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher as of 2023. In Alaska, that number is 20.7% as of 2023.
be 67.0% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In New York, 9.1% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In Alaska, that number is 3.0% as of 2023.
The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: 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.
