Quality of life comparison
If you lived in North Dakota instead of North Carolina, you would:
Health
live 0.8 years longer
In North Carolina, the average life expectancy is 76 years (75 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2020. In North Dakota, that number is 77 years (76 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2020.
be 15.9% less likely to have diabetes
In North Carolina, 10.7% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In North Dakota, that number is 9.0% as of 2022.
be 10.4% more likely to be obese
In North Carolina, 33.6% of adults are obese as of 2022. In North Dakota, that number is 37.1% of people as of 2022.
Economy
make 33.7% more money
North Carolina has a GDP per capita of $59,308 as of 2024, while in North Dakota, the GDP per capita is $79,272 as of 2024.
be 26.5% less likely to be unemployed
In North Carolina, 3.4% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In North Dakota, that number is 2.5% as of 2025.
be 17.4% less likely to live below the poverty line
In North Carolina, 12.1% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In North Dakota, however, that number is 10.0% as of 2023.
Safety
be 30.8% 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 North Dakota, that number is 262 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 19.6% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in North Carolina is $1,162 as of 2023, while in North Dakota, it is $934 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 7.1 minutes less
The average one-way commute in North Carolina takes 25.1 minutes as of 2023. In North Dakota, it takes 18.0 minutes as of 2023.
be 33.3% less likely to be uninsured
In North Carolina, 9.6% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In North Dakota, that number is 6.4% as of 2023.
live in an area that is 94.9% less densely populated
North Carolina has a population density of 86.2 people per sq km as of 2023. In North Dakota, that number is 4.4 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 52.7% less likely to be food insecure
In North Carolina, 11.2% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In North Dakota, that number is 5.3% as of 2021.
be 11.0% more likely to smoke
In North Carolina, 14.6% of adults smoke as of 2022. In North Dakota, that number is 16.2% as of 2022.
live among residents who are 3.4 years older on average
The median age in North Carolina is 39.1 years as of 2023. In North Dakota, the median age is 35.7 years as of 2023.
be 47.9% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In North Carolina, 4.8% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In North Dakota, that number is 2.5% 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.
