Quality of life comparison
If you lived in North Carolina instead of Oklahoma, you would:
Health
live 2.0 years longer
In Oklahoma, the average life expectancy is 74 years (73 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2020. In North Carolina, that number is 76 years (75 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2020.
be 16.6% less likely to be obese
In Oklahoma, 40.3% of adults are obese as of 2022. In North Carolina, that number is 33.6% of people as of 2022.
be 11.6% less likely to have diabetes
In Oklahoma, 12.1% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In North Carolina, that number is 10.7% as of 2022.
Economy
make 16.3% more money
Oklahoma has a GDP per capita of $51,007 as of 2024, while in North Carolina, the GDP per capita is $59,308 as of 2024.
be 10.5% less likely to be unemployed
In Oklahoma, 3.8% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In North Carolina, that number is 3.4% as of 2025.
be 16.0% less likely to live below the poverty line
In Oklahoma, 14.4% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In North Carolina, however, that number is 12.1% as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 39.5% more for a home
The median home value in Oklahoma is $185,900 as of 2023, compared to $259,400 in North Carolina as of 2023.
pay 18.6% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Oklahoma is $980 as of 2023, while in North Carolina, it is $1,162 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 24.4% less likely to be uninsured
In Oklahoma, 12.7% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In North Carolina, that number is 9.6% as of 2023.
be 16.6% less likely to smoke
In Oklahoma, 17.5% of adults smoke as of 2022. In North Carolina, that number is 14.6% as of 2022.
be 24.7% less likely to be physically inactive
In Oklahoma, 29.5% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In North Carolina, that number is 22.2% as of 2022.
live among residents who are 2.2 years older on average
The median age in Oklahoma is 36.9 years as of 2023. In North Carolina, the median age is 39.1 years as of 2023.
be 26.4% more likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Oklahoma, 17.8% of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher as of 2023. In North Carolina, that number is 22.5% as of 2023.
be 33.3% more likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Oklahoma, 3.6% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In North Carolina, that number is 4.8% as of 2023.
be 17.6% less likely to be food insecure
In Oklahoma, 13.6% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In North Carolina, that number is 11.2% as of 2021.
commute 2.7 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in Oklahoma takes 22.4 minutes as of 2023. In North Carolina, it takes 25.1 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 3.8 times more densely populated
Oklahoma has a population density of 22.9 people per sq km as of 2023. In North Carolina, that number is 86.2 people per sq km 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.
