Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Massachusetts instead of Pennsylvania, you would:
Health
live 2.2 years longer
In Pennsylvania, the average life expectancy is 77 years (76 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2020. In Massachusetts, that number is 79 years (78 years for men, 83 years for women) as of 2020.
be 16.3% less likely to be obese
In Pennsylvania, 34.4% of adults are obese as of 2022. In Massachusetts, that number is 28.8% 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 Massachusetts, that number is 8.8% as of 2022.
Economy
make 42.9% more money
Pennsylvania has a GDP per capita of $61,506 as of 2024, while in Massachusetts, the GDP per capita is $87,892 as of 2024.
be 15.9% less likely to live below the poverty line
In Pennsylvania, 11.3% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Massachusetts, however, that number is 9.5% as of 2023.
be 27.0% more likely to be unemployed
In Pennsylvania, 3.7% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Massachusetts, that number is 4.7% as of 2025.
Safety
be 31.3% less 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 Massachusetts, that number is 1,077 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 16.3% 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 Massachusetts, that number is 308 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 33.2% more money
The median household income in Pennsylvania is $76,081 as of 2023, while in Massachusetts, it is $101,341 as of 2023.
pay 2.2 times more for a home
The median home value in Pennsylvania is $240,500 as of 2023, compared to $525,800 in Massachusetts as of 2023.
pay 45.2% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Pennsylvania is $1,162 as of 2023, while in Massachusetts, it is $1,687 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 52.7% less likely to be uninsured
In Pennsylvania, 5.5% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Massachusetts, that number is 2.6% as of 2023.
be 27.4% less likely to smoke
In Pennsylvania, 16.8% of adults smoke as of 2022. In Massachusetts, that number is 12.2% as of 2022.
be 33.1% 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 Massachusetts, that number is 32.2% as of 2023.
be 2.4 times more likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Pennsylvania, 3.3% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In Massachusetts, that number is 7.9% as of 2023.
be 15.1% less likely to be food insecure
In Pennsylvania, 9.3% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Massachusetts, that number is 7.9% as of 2021.
commute 2.7 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in Pennsylvania takes 26.6 minutes as of 2023. In Massachusetts, it takes 29.3 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 3.1 times more densely populated
Pennsylvania has a population density of 112.2 people per sq km as of 2023. In Massachusetts, that number is 348.0 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, FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
