Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Maryland instead of North Dakota, you would:
Health
be 20.0% more likely to have diabetes
In North Dakota, 9.0% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In Maryland, that number is 10.8% as of 2022.
Economy
be 10.0% less likely to live below the poverty line
In North Dakota, 10.0% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Maryland, however, that number is 9.0% as of 2023.
make 12.8% less money
North Dakota has a GDP per capita of $79,272 as of 2024, while in Maryland, the GDP per capita is $69,127 as of 2024.
be 48.0% more likely to be unemployed
In North Dakota, 2.5% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Maryland, that number is 3.7% as of 2025.
Safety
be 60.3% 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 Maryland, that number is 420 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 33.8% more money
The median household income in North Dakota is $75,949 as of 2023, while in Maryland, it is $101,652 as of 2023.
pay 65.0% more for a home
The median home value in North Dakota is $241,100 as of 2023, compared to $397,700 in Maryland as of 2023.
pay 77.9% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in North Dakota is $934 as of 2023, while in Maryland, it is $1,662 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 25.9% less likely to smoke
In North Dakota, 16.2% of adults smoke as of 2022. In Maryland, that number is 12.0% as of 2022.
live among residents who are 3.6 years older on average
The median age in North Dakota is 35.7 years as of 2023. In Maryland, the median age is 39.3 years as of 2023.
be 41.3% 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 Maryland, that number is 29.1% as of 2023.
be 2.9 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 Maryland, that number is 7.3% as of 2023.
commute 13.5 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in North Dakota takes 18.0 minutes as of 2023. In Maryland, it takes 31.5 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 55.8 times more densely populated
North Dakota has a population density of 4.4 people per sq km as of 2023. In Maryland, that number is 245.6 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 81.1% more likely to be food insecure
In North Dakota, 5.3% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Maryland, that number is 9.6% 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.
