Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Kentucky instead of New York, you would:
Health
live 4.2 years less
In New York, the average life expectancy is 78 years (78 years for men, 83 years for women) as of 2020. In Kentucky, that number is 74 years (73 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2020.
be 27.8% more likely to be obese
In New York, 29.9% of adults are obese as of 2022. In Kentucky, that number is 38.2% of people as of 2022.
be 17.8% more likely to have diabetes
In New York, 10.1% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In Kentucky, that number is 11.9% as of 2022.
Economy
be 20.5% less likely to be unemployed
In New York, 4.4% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Kentucky, that number is 3.5% as of 2025.
make 45.5% less money
New York has a GDP per capita of $91,992 as of 2024, while in Kentucky, the GDP per capita is $50,135 as of 2024.
be 15.8% more likely to live below the poverty line
In New York, 13.3% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Kentucky, however, that number is 15.4% as of 2023.
Safety
be 42.2% less 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 Kentucky, that number is 220 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 13.4% less likely to be a victim of property crime
New York has a property crime rate of 1,760 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Kentucky, that number is 1,525 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 52.3% less for a home
The median home value in New York is $403,000 as of 2023, compared to $192,300 in Kentucky as of 2023.
pay 40.8% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in New York is $1,576 as of 2023, while in Kentucky, it is $933 as of 2023.
be 25.8% more likely to own your home
In New York, 54.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied as of 2023. In Kentucky, that number is 68.3% as of 2023.
earn 26.2% less money
The median household income in New York is $84,578 as of 2023, while in Kentucky, it is $62,417 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 8.8 minutes less
The average one-way commute in New York takes 32.8 minutes as of 2023. In Kentucky, it takes 24.0 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 72.6% less densely populated
New York has a population density of 161.4 people per sq km as of 2023. In Kentucky, that number is 44.2 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 14.0% more likely to be uninsured
In New York, 5.0% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Kentucky, that number is 5.7% as of 2023.
be 46.1% more likely to smoke
In New York, 12.8% of adults smoke as of 2022. In Kentucky, that number is 18.7% as of 2022.
be 35.0% 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 Kentucky, that number is 18.0% as of 2023.
be 72.5% 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 Kentucky, that number is 2.5% as of 2023.
be 11.5% more likely to be food insecure
In New York, 11.3% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Kentucky, that number is 12.6% 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.
