Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Rhode Island instead of North Carolina, you would:
Health
live 2.1 years longer
In North Carolina, the average life expectancy is 76 years (75 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2020. In Rhode Island, that number is 78 years (77 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2020.
Economy
be 14.9% less likely to live below the poverty line
In North Carolina, 12.1% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Rhode Island, however, that number is 10.3% as of 2023.
be 29.4% more likely to be unemployed
In North Carolina, 3.4% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Rhode Island, that number is 4.4% as of 2025.
Safety
be 56.4% 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 Rhode Island, that number is 165 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 44.8% 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 Rhode Island, that number is 1,102 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 23.6% more money
The median household income in North Carolina is $69,904 as of 2023, while in Rhode Island, it is $86,372 as of 2023.
pay 42.2% more for a home
The median home value in North Carolina is $259,400 as of 2023, compared to $368,800 in Rhode Island as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 56.2% less likely to be uninsured
In North Carolina, 9.6% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Rhode Island, that number is 4.2% as of 2023.
live among residents who are 1.4 years older on average
The median age in North Carolina is 39.1 years as of 2023. In Rhode Island, the median age is 40.5 years as of 2023.
be 15.6% 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 Rhode Island, that number is 26.0% as of 2023.
be 37.5% 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 Rhode Island, that number is 6.6% as of 2023.
be 17.9% less likely to be food insecure
In North Carolina, 11.2% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Rhode Island, that number is 9.2% as of 2021.
live in an area that is 4.7 times more densely populated
North Carolina has a population density of 86.2 people per sq km as of 2023. In Rhode Island, that number is 407.8 people per sq km as of 2023.
The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: Feeding America, OECD Regional Demography, Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
