Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Pennsylvania instead of North Dakota, you would:
Health
be 14.4% more likely to have diabetes
In North Dakota, 9.0% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In Pennsylvania, that number is 10.3% as of 2022.
Economy
make 22.4% less money
North Dakota has a GDP per capita of $79,272 as of 2024, while in Pennsylvania, the GDP per capita is $61,506 as of 2024.
be 48.0% more likely to be unemployed
In North Dakota, 2.5% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Pennsylvania, that number is 3.7% as of 2025.
be 13.0% more likely to live below the poverty line
In North Dakota, 10.0% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Pennsylvania, however, that number is 11.3% as of 2023.
Safety
be 17.7% 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 Pennsylvania, that number is 1,567 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 24.4% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in North Dakota is $934 as of 2023, while in Pennsylvania, it is $1,162 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 14.1% less likely to be uninsured
In North Dakota, 6.4% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Pennsylvania, that number is 5.5% as of 2023.
live among residents who are 5.2 years older on average
The median age in North Dakota is 35.7 years as of 2023. In Pennsylvania, the median age is 40.9 years as of 2023.
be 17.5% 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 Pennsylvania, that number is 24.2% as of 2023.
be 32.0% 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 Pennsylvania, that number is 3.3% as of 2023.
commute 8.6 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in North Dakota takes 18.0 minutes as of 2023. In Pennsylvania, it takes 26.6 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 25.5 times more densely populated
North Dakota has a population density of 4.4 people per sq km as of 2023. In Pennsylvania, that number is 112.2 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 75.5% more likely to be food insecure
In North Dakota, 5.3% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Pennsylvania, that number is 9.3% 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.
