Quality of life comparison
If you lived in District of Columbia instead of Pennsylvania, you would:
Health
live 1.2 years longer
In Pennsylvania, the average life expectancy is 77 years (76 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2020. In District of Columbia, that number is 78 years (75 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2019.
be 26.5% less likely to be obese
In Pennsylvania, 34.4% of adults are obese as of 2022. In District of Columbia, that number is 25.3% of people as of 2022.
be 14.6% less likely to have diabetes
In Pennsylvania, 10.3% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In District of Columbia, that number is 8.8% as of 2022.
Economy
make 3.4 times more money
Pennsylvania has a GDP per capita of $61,506 as of 2024, while in District of Columbia, the GDP per capita is $209,167 as of 2024.
be 73.0% more likely to be unemployed
In Pennsylvania, 3.7% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In District of Columbia, that number is 6.4% as of 2025.
be 20.4% more likely to live below the poverty line
In Pennsylvania, 11.3% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In District of Columbia, however, that number is 13.6% as of 2023.
Safety
be 4.3 times more likely to be a victim of violent crime
Pennsylvania has a violent crime rate of 264 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In District of Columbia, that number is 1,126 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 2.7 times more likely to be a victim of property crime
Pennsylvania has a property crime rate of 1,567 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In District of Columbia, that number is 4,216 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 39.7% more money
The median household income in Pennsylvania is $76,081 as of 2023, while in District of Columbia, it is $106,287 as of 2023.
pay 3.0 times more for a home
The median home value in Pennsylvania is $240,500 as of 2023, compared to $724,600 in District of Columbia as of 2023.
pay 63.5% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Pennsylvania is $1,162 as of 2023, while in District of Columbia, it is $1,900 as of 2023.
be 40.7% less likely to own your home
In Pennsylvania, 69.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied as of 2023. In District of Columbia, that number is 41.1% as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 40.0% less likely to be uninsured
In Pennsylvania, 5.5% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In District of Columbia, that number is 3.3% as of 2023.
be 31.0% less likely to smoke
In Pennsylvania, 16.8% of adults smoke as of 2022. In District of Columbia, that number is 11.6% as of 2022.
be 34.0% less likely to be physically inactive
In Pennsylvania, 23.5% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In District of Columbia, that number is 15.5% as of 2022.
be 83.5% more likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Pennsylvania, 24.2% of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher as of 2023. In District of Columbia, that number is 44.4% as of 2023.
be 97.0% more likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Pennsylvania, 3.3% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In District of Columbia, that number is 6.5% as of 2023.
commute 3.7 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in Pennsylvania takes 26.6 minutes as of 2023. In District of Columbia, it takes 30.3 minutes as of 2023.
live among residents who are 6.0 years older on average
The median age in Pennsylvania is 40.9 years as of 2023. In District of Columbia, the median age is 34.9 years as of 2023.
live in an area that is 38.5 times more densely populated
Pennsylvania has a population density of 112.2 people per sq km as of 2023. In District of Columbia, that number is 4,322.8 people per sq km as of 2023.
The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: 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.
