Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Mississippi instead of Pennsylvania, you would:
Health
live 4.9 years less
In Pennsylvania, the average life expectancy is 77 years (76 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2020. In Mississippi, that number is 72 years (71 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2020.
be 21.8% more likely to be obese
In Pennsylvania, 34.4% of adults are obese as of 2022. In Mississippi, that number is 41.9% of people as of 2022.
be 32.0% more likely to have diabetes
In Pennsylvania, 10.3% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In Mississippi, that number is 13.6% as of 2022.
Economy
be 16.2% less likely to be unemployed
In Pennsylvania, 3.7% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Mississippi, that number is 3.1% as of 2025.
make 32.1% less money
Pennsylvania has a GDP per capita of $61,506 as of 2024, while in Mississippi, the GDP per capita is $41,778 as of 2024.
be 62.8% more likely to live below the poverty line
In Pennsylvania, 11.3% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Mississippi, however, that number is 18.4% as of 2023.
Safety
be 23.7% less likely to be a victim of violent crime
Pennsylvania has a violent crime rate of 264 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Mississippi, that number is 202 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 32.9% less for a home
The median home value in Pennsylvania is $240,500 as of 2023, compared to $161,400 in Mississippi as of 2023.
pay 20.6% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Pennsylvania is $1,162 as of 2023, while in Mississippi, it is $923 as of 2023.
earn 27.8% less money
The median household income in Pennsylvania is $76,081 as of 2023, while in Mississippi, it is $54,915 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
live in an area that is 78.4% less densely populated
Pennsylvania has a population density of 112.2 people per sq km as of 2023. In Mississippi, that number is 24.2 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 2.1 times more likely to be uninsured
In Pennsylvania, 5.5% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Mississippi, that number is 11.3% as of 2023.
be 11.9% more likely to smoke
In Pennsylvania, 16.8% of adults smoke as of 2022. In Mississippi, that number is 18.8% as of 2022.
be 34.9% more likely to be physically inactive
In Pennsylvania, 23.5% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In Mississippi, that number is 31.7% as of 2022.
live among residents who are 2.5 years older on average
The median age in Pennsylvania is 40.9 years as of 2023. In Mississippi, the median age is 38.4 years as of 2023.
be 33.5% less 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 Mississippi, that number is 16.1% as of 2023.
be 57.6% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Pennsylvania, 3.3% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In Mississippi, that number is 1.4% as of 2023.
be 75.3% more likely to be food insecure
In Pennsylvania, 9.3% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Mississippi, that number is 16.3% as of 2021.
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.
