Quality of life comparison
If you lived in North Dakota instead of Ohio, you would:
Health
live 1.6 years longer
In Ohio, the average life expectancy is 75 years (74 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2020. In North Dakota, that number is 77 years (76 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2020.
be 23.7% less likely to have diabetes
In Ohio, 11.8% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In North Dakota, that number is 9.0% as of 2022.
Economy
be 37.5% less likely to be unemployed
In Ohio, 4.0% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In North Dakota, that number is 2.5% as of 2025.
be 21.9% less likely to live below the poverty line
In Ohio, 12.8% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In North Dakota, however, that number is 10.0% as of 2023.
make 30.7% more money
Ohio has a GDP per capita of $60,669 as of 2024, while in North Dakota, the GDP per capita is $79,272 as of 2024.
Safety
be 13.6% 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 North Dakota, that number is 1,904 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 21.0% more for a home
The median home value in Ohio is $199,200 as of 2023, compared to $241,100 in North Dakota as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 5.6 minutes less
The average one-way commute in Ohio takes 23.6 minutes as of 2023. In North Dakota, it takes 18.0 minutes as of 2023.
be 13.8% less likely to smoke
In Ohio, 18.8% of adults smoke as of 2022. In North Dakota, that number is 16.2% as of 2022.
live in an area that is 96.1% less densely populated
Ohio has a population density of 111.5 people per sq km as of 2023. In North Dakota, that number is 4.4 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 54.7% less likely to be food insecure
In Ohio, 11.7% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In North Dakota, that number is 5.3% as of 2021.
live among residents who are 3.9 years older on average
The median age in Ohio is 39.6 years as of 2023. In North Dakota, the median age is 35.7 years as of 2023.
Sources: US Census Bureau (American Community Survey) (2023), OECD Regional Demography (2020–2023), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES) (2022), Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025), Bureau of Economic Analysis (2024), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (2023), Feeding America (2021). How we calculate this
