Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Washington instead of New York, you would:
Health
live 1.5 years longer
In New York, the average life expectancy is 78 years (78 years for men, 83 years for women) as of 2020. In Washington, that number is 79 years (78 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2020.
be 13.9% less likely to have diabetes
In New York, 10.1% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In Washington, that number is 8.7% as of 2022.
Economy
be 29.3% less likely to live below the poverty line
In New York, 13.3% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Washington, however, that number is 9.4% as of 2023.
be 20.5% more likely to be unemployed
In New York, 4.4% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Washington, that number is 5.3% as of 2025.
Safety
be 60.2% more 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 Washington, that number is 2,819 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 12.3% more money
The median household income in New York is $84,578 as of 2023, while in Washington, it is $94,952 as of 2023.
be 17.7% more likely to own your home
In New York, 54.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied as of 2023. In Washington, that number is 63.9% as of 2023.
pay 29.0% more for a home
The median home value in New York is $403,000 as of 2023, compared to $519,800 in Washington as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 5.8 minutes less
The average one-way commute in New York takes 32.8 minutes as of 2023. In Washington, it takes 27.0 minutes as of 2023.
be 14.8% less likely to smoke
In New York, 12.8% of adults smoke as of 2022. In Washington, that number is 10.9% as of 2022.
be 31.5% less likely to be physically inactive
In New York, 25.1% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In Washington, that number is 17.2% as of 2022.
live in an area that is 71.7% less densely populated
New York has a population density of 161.4 people per sq km as of 2023. In Washington, that number is 45.6 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 23.9% less likely to be food insecure
In New York, 11.3% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Washington, that number is 8.6% as of 2021.
be 22.0% more likely to be uninsured
In New York, 5.0% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Washington, that number is 6.1% as of 2023.
live among residents who are 1.4 years older on average
The median age in New York is 39.6 years as of 2023. In Washington, the median age is 38.2 years as of 2023.
be 16.5% 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 Washington, that number is 7.6% 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.
