Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Idaho instead of North Dakota, you would:
Health
live 1.5 years longer
In North Dakota, the average life expectancy is 77 years (76 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2020. In Idaho, that number is 78 years (78 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2020.
Economy
make 38.1% less money
North Dakota has a GDP per capita of $79,272 as of 2024, while in Idaho, the GDP per capita is $49,054 as of 2024.
be 40.0% more likely to be unemployed
In North Dakota, 2.5% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Idaho, that number is 3.5% as of 2025.
Safety
be 13.6% less 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 Idaho, that number is 226 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 58.8% less 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 Idaho, that number is 784 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
be 14.2% more likely to own your home
In North Dakota, 63.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied as of 2023. In Idaho, that number is 72.4% as of 2023.
pay 56.0% more for a home
The median home value in North Dakota is $241,100 as of 2023, compared to $376,000 in Idaho as of 2023.
pay 23.1% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in North Dakota is $934 as of 2023, while in Idaho, it is $1,150 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 16.0% less likely to smoke
In North Dakota, 16.2% of adults smoke as of 2022. In Idaho, that number is 13.6% as of 2022.
live among residents who are 1.4 years older on average
The median age in North Dakota is 35.7 years as of 2023. In Idaho, the median age is 37.1 years as of 2023.
be 16.0% 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 Idaho, that number is 2.9% as of 2023.
commute 3.6 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in North Dakota takes 18.0 minutes as of 2023. In Idaho, it takes 21.6 minutes as of 2023.
be 32.8% more likely to be uninsured
In North Dakota, 6.4% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Idaho, that number is 8.5% as of 2023.
live in an area that is 2.1 times more densely populated
North Dakota has a population density of 4.4 people per sq km as of 2023. In Idaho, that number is 9.2 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 45.3% more likely to be food insecure
In North Dakota, 5.3% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Idaho, that number is 7.7% 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.
