Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Alaska instead of Rhode Island, you would:
Health
be 14.7% less likely to have diabetes
In Rhode Island, 10.2% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In Alaska, that number is 8.7% as of 2022.
live 1.6 years less
In Rhode Island, the average life expectancy is 78 years (77 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2020. In Alaska, that number is 77 years (76 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2020.
Economy
make 33.3% more money
Rhode Island has a GDP per capita of $56,938 as of 2024, while in Alaska, the GDP per capita is $75,882 as of 2024.
be 13.6% more likely to be unemployed
In Rhode Island, 4.4% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Alaska, that number is 5.0% as of 2025.
Safety
be 4.4 times more likely to be a victim of violent crime
Rhode Island has a violent crime rate of 165 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Alaska, that number is 722 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 69.4% more likely to be a victim of property crime
Rhode Island has a property crime rate of 1,102 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Alaska, that number is 1,868 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 6.0 minutes less
The average one-way commute in Rhode Island takes 25.5 minutes as of 2023. In Alaska, it takes 19.5 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 99.9% less densely populated
Rhode Island has a population density of 407.8 people per sq km as of 2023. In Alaska, that number is 0.5 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 2.5 times more likely to be uninsured
In Rhode Island, 4.2% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Alaska, that number is 10.7% as of 2023.
be 22.6% more likely to smoke
In Rhode Island, 13.7% of adults smoke as of 2022. In Alaska, that number is 16.8% as of 2022.
live among residents who are 4.9 years older on average
The median age in Rhode Island is 40.5 years as of 2023. In Alaska, the median age is 35.6 years as of 2023.
be 20.4% less likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Rhode Island, 26.0% of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher as of 2023. In Alaska, that number is 20.7% as of 2023.
be 54.5% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Rhode Island, 6.6% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In Alaska, that number is 3.0% as of 2023.
be 15.2% more likely to be food insecure
In Rhode Island, 9.2% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Alaska, that number is 10.6% 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.