Quality of life comparison
If you lived in California instead of Ohio, you would:
Health
live 3.7 years longer
In Ohio, the average life expectancy is 75 years (74 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2020. In California, that number is 79 years (78 years for men, 83 years for women) as of 2020.
be 28.1% less likely to be obese
In Ohio, 39.5% of adults are obese as of 2022. In California, that number is 28.4% of people as of 2022.
Economy
make 38.5% more money
Ohio has a GDP per capita of $60,669 as of 2024, while in California, the GDP per capita is $84,028 as of 2024.
be 27.5% more likely to be unemployed
In Ohio, 4.0% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In California, that number is 5.1% as of 2025.
Safety
be 77.3% more likely to be a victim of violent crime
Ohio has a violent crime rate of 284 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In California, that number is 503 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 37.4% more likely to be a victim of property crime
Ohio has a property crime rate of 1,676 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In California, that number is 2,303 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 38.3% more money
The median household income in Ohio is $69,680 as of 2023, while in California, it is $96,334 as of 2023.
pay 3.5 times more for a home
The median home value in Ohio is $199,200 as of 2023, compared to $695,400 in California as of 2023.
pay 98.0% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Ohio is $988 as of 2023, while in California, it is $1,956 as of 2023.
be 16.7% less likely to own your home
In Ohio, 67.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied as of 2023. In California, that number is 55.8% as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 38.3% less likely to smoke
In Ohio, 18.8% of adults smoke as of 2022. In California, that number is 11.6% as of 2022.
be 12.8% less likely to be physically inactive
In Ohio, 25.7% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In California, that number is 22.4% as of 2022.
live in an area that is 13.0% less densely populated
Ohio has a population density of 111.5 people per sq km as of 2023. In California, that number is 97.0 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 18.5% more likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Ohio, 21.1% of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher as of 2023. In California, that number is 25.0% as of 2023.
be 5.3 times more likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Ohio, 2.3% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In California, that number is 12.2% as of 2023.
be 11.1% less likely to be food insecure
In Ohio, 11.7% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In California, that number is 10.4% as of 2021.
commute 5.4 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in Ohio takes 23.6 minutes as of 2023. In California, it takes 29.0 minutes as of 2023.
live among residents who are 2.0 years older on average
The median age in Ohio is 39.6 years as of 2023. In California, the median age is 37.6 years as of 2023.
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.
