Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Massachusetts instead of North Carolina, you would:
Health
live 2.9 years longer
In North Carolina, the average life expectancy is 76 years (75 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2020. In Massachusetts, that number is 79 years (78 years for men, 83 years for women) as of 2020.
be 14.3% less likely to be obese
In North Carolina, 33.6% of adults are obese as of 2022. In Massachusetts, that number is 28.8% of people as of 2022.
be 17.8% less likely to have diabetes
In North Carolina, 10.7% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In Massachusetts, that number is 8.8% as of 2022.
Economy
make 48.2% more money
North Carolina has a GDP per capita of $59,308 as of 2024, while in Massachusetts, the GDP per capita is $87,892 as of 2024.
be 21.5% less likely to live below the poverty line
In North Carolina, 12.1% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Massachusetts, however, that number is 9.5% as of 2023.
be 38.2% more likely to be unemployed
In North Carolina, 3.4% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Massachusetts, that number is 4.7% as of 2025.
Safety
be 18.8% less likely to be a victim of violent crime
North Carolina has a violent crime rate of 379 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Massachusetts, that number is 308 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 46.1% less likely to be a victim of property crime
North Carolina has a property crime rate of 1,998 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Massachusetts, that number is 1,077 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 45.0% more money
The median household income in North Carolina is $69,904 as of 2023, while in Massachusetts, it is $101,341 as of 2023.
pay 2.0 times more for a home
The median home value in North Carolina is $259,400 as of 2023, compared to $525,800 in Massachusetts as of 2023.
pay 45.2% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in North Carolina is $1,162 as of 2023, while in Massachusetts, it is $1,687 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 72.9% less likely to be uninsured
In North Carolina, 9.6% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Massachusetts, that number is 2.6% as of 2023.
be 16.4% less likely to smoke
In North Carolina, 14.6% of adults smoke as of 2022. In Massachusetts, that number is 12.2% as of 2022.
be 43.1% more likely to have a bachelor's degree
In North Carolina, 22.5% of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher as of 2023. In Massachusetts, that number is 32.2% as of 2023.
be 64.6% more likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In North Carolina, 4.8% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In Massachusetts, that number is 7.9% as of 2023.
be 29.5% less likely to be food insecure
In North Carolina, 11.2% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Massachusetts, that number is 7.9% as of 2021.
commute 4.2 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in North Carolina takes 25.1 minutes as of 2023. In Massachusetts, it takes 29.3 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 4.0 times more densely populated
North Carolina has a population density of 86.2 people per sq km as of 2023. In Massachusetts, that number is 348.0 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.
