Quality of life comparison
If you lived in New Mexico instead of North Dakota, you would:
Health
be 13.2% less likely to be obese
In North Dakota, 37.1% of adults are obese as of 2022. In New Mexico, that number is 32.2% of people as of 2022.
live 2.4 years less
In North Dakota, the average life expectancy is 77 years (76 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2020. In New Mexico, that number is 74 years (74 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2020.
be 20.0% more likely to have diabetes
In North Dakota, 9.0% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In New Mexico, that number is 10.8% as of 2022.
Economy
make 29.3% less money
North Dakota has a GDP per capita of $79,272 as of 2024, while in New Mexico, the GDP per capita is $56,008 as of 2024.
be 68.0% more likely to be unemployed
In North Dakota, 2.5% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In New Mexico, that number is 4.2% as of 2025.
be 77.0% more likely to live below the poverty line
In North Dakota, 10.0% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In New Mexico, however, that number is 17.7% as of 2023.
Safety
be 2.8 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 New Mexico, that number is 745 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 50.9% 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 New Mexico, that number is 2,872 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 18.2% less money
The median household income in North Dakota is $75,949 as of 2023, while in New Mexico, it is $62,125 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
live among residents who are 3.5 years older on average
The median age in North Dakota is 35.7 years as of 2023. In New Mexico, the median age is 39.2 years as of 2023.
be 2.0 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 New Mexico, that number is 5.1% as of 2023.
commute 5.2 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in North Dakota takes 18.0 minutes as of 2023. In New Mexico, it takes 23.2 minutes as of 2023.
be 45.3% more likely to be uninsured
In North Dakota, 6.4% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In New Mexico, that number is 9.3% as of 2023.
live in an area that is 54.5% more densely populated
North Dakota has a population density of 4.4 people per sq km as of 2023. In New Mexico, that number is 6.8 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 2.5 times more likely to be food insecure
In North Dakota, 5.3% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In New Mexico, that number is 13.4% 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.
