Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Missouri instead of North Dakota, you would:
Health
live 1.8 years less
In North Dakota, the average life expectancy is 77 years (76 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2020. In Missouri, that number is 75 years (74 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2020.
be 15.6% more likely to have diabetes
In North Dakota, 9.0% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In Missouri, that number is 10.4% as of 2022.
Economy
make 28.9% less money
North Dakota has a GDP per capita of $79,272 as of 2024, while in Missouri, the GDP per capita is $56,344 as of 2024.
be 32.0% more likely to be unemployed
In North Dakota, 2.5% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Missouri, that number is 3.3% as of 2025.
be 21.0% more likely to live below the poverty line
In North Dakota, 10.0% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Missouri, however, that number is 12.1% as of 2023.
Safety
be 72.8% 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 Missouri, that number is 453 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 10.6% less for a home
The median home value in North Dakota is $241,100 as of 2023, compared to $215,600 in Missouri as of 2023.
Lifestyle
live among residents who are 3.2 years older on average
The median age in North Dakota is 35.7 years as of 2023. In Missouri, the median age is 38.9 years as of 2023.
commute 5.7 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in North Dakota takes 18.0 minutes as of 2023. In Missouri, it takes 23.7 minutes as of 2023.
be 39.1% more likely to be uninsured
In North Dakota, 6.4% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Missouri, that number is 8.9% as of 2023.
be 14.8% more likely to smoke
In North Dakota, 16.2% of adults smoke as of 2022. In Missouri, that number is 18.6% as of 2022.
live in an area that is 7.9 times more densely populated
North Dakota has a population density of 4.4 people per sq km as of 2023. In Missouri, that number is 34.8 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 16.0% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In North Dakota, 2.5% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In Missouri, that number is 2.1% as of 2023.
be 2.2 times more likely to be food insecure
In North Dakota, 5.3% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Missouri, that number is 11.4% 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.
