Quality of life comparison
If you lived in District of Columbia instead of North Dakota, you would:
Health
live 1.1 years longer
In North Dakota, the average life expectancy is 77 years (76 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2020. In District of Columbia, that number is 78 years (75 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2019.
be 31.8% less likely to be obese
In North Dakota, 37.1% of adults are obese as of 2022. In District of Columbia, that number is 25.3% of people as of 2022.
Economy
make 2.6 times more money
North Dakota has a GDP per capita of $79,272 as of 2024, while in District of Columbia, the GDP per capita is $209,167 as of 2024.
be 2.6 times more likely to be unemployed
In North Dakota, 2.5% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In District of Columbia, that number is 6.4% as of 2025.
be 36.0% more likely to live below the poverty line
In North Dakota, 10.0% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In District of Columbia, however, that number is 13.6% as of 2023.
Safety
be 4.3 times more likely to be a victim of violent crime
North Dakota has a violent crime rate of 262 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In District of Columbia, that number is 1,126 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 2.2 times more likely to be a victim of property crime
North Dakota has a property crime rate of 1,904 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In District of Columbia, that number is 4,216 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 39.9% more money
The median household income in North Dakota is $75,949 as of 2023, while in District of Columbia, it is $106,287 as of 2023.
pay 3.0 times more for a home
The median home value in North Dakota is $241,100 as of 2023, compared to $724,600 in District of Columbia as of 2023.
pay 2.0 times more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in North Dakota is $934 as of 2023, while in District of Columbia, it is $1,900 as of 2023.
be 35.2% less likely to own your home
In North Dakota, 63.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied as of 2023. In District of Columbia, that number is 41.1% as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 48.4% less likely to be uninsured
In North Dakota, 6.4% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In District of Columbia, that number is 3.3% as of 2023.
be 28.4% less likely to smoke
In North Dakota, 16.2% of adults smoke as of 2022. In District of Columbia, that number is 11.6% as of 2022.
be 35.1% less likely to be physically inactive
In North Dakota, 23.9% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In District of Columbia, that number is 15.5% as of 2022.
be 2.2 times more likely to have a bachelor's degree
In North Dakota, 20.6% of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher as of 2023. In District of Columbia, that number is 44.4% as of 2023.
be 2.6 times more likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In North Dakota, 2.5% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In District of Columbia, that number is 6.5% as of 2023.
commute 12.3 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in North Dakota takes 18.0 minutes as of 2023. In District of Columbia, it takes 30.3 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 982.5 times more densely populated
North Dakota has a population density of 4.4 people per sq km as of 2023. In District of Columbia, that number is 4,322.8 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 86.8% more likely to be food insecure
In North Dakota, 5.3% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In District of Columbia, that number is 9.9% as of 2021.
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.
