Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Puerto Rico instead of North Carolina, you would:

Health

be 26.2% more likely to be obese

In North Carolina, 33.6% of adults are obese as of 2022. In Puerto Rico, that number is 42.4% of people as of 2024.

View global rankings →

Economy

be 76.2% more likely to be unemployed

In North Carolina, 3.4% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Puerto Rico, that number is 6.0% as of 2025.

View global rankings →

make 31.5% less money

North Carolina has a GDP per capita of $59,308 as of 2024, while in Puerto Rico, the GDP per capita is $40,620 as of 2025.

View global rankings →

Sources: World Bank (2025), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES) (2022), World Health Organization (2024), Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025), Bureau of Economic Analysis (2024). How we calculate this

Compare further: North Carolina vs. Puerto Rico

Cost of Living Comparison · 7 categories - 2026 data
Puerto Rico is 14.9% cheaper than North Carolina
→
Size Comparison · See true size
North Carolina is about 14 times bigger than Puerto Rico.
→
Moving from North Carolina to Puerto Rico · Cost, visas & climate
Compare cost of living, salary and climate.
→

Puerto Rico: At a glance

Puerto Rico is a territory in Central America/Caribbean, with a total land area of approximately 8,959 sq km. Populated for centuries by aboriginal peoples, the island was claimed by the Spanish Crown in 1493 following Christopher COLUMBUS' second voyage to the Americas. In 1898, after 400 years of colonial rule that saw the indigenous population nearly exterminated and African slave labor introduced, Puerto Rico was ceded to the US as a result of the Spanish-American War. Puerto Ricans were granted US citizenship in 1917. Popularly-elected governors have served since 1948. In 1952, a constitution was enacted providing for internal self government. In plebiscites held in 1967, 1993, and 1998, voters chose not to alter the existing political status with the US, but the results of a 2012 vote left open the possibility of American statehood.
Read more

How big is Puerto Rico compared to North Carolina? See an in-depth size comparison.

Share this

Ask the Elsewhere Community

Join the Elsewhere community and ask a question about Puerto Rico or United States. It's a free, question-and-answer based forum to discuss what life is like in countries and cities around the world.