Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Maryland instead of Rhode Island, you would:
Health
live 1.4 years less
In Rhode Island, the average life expectancy is 78 years (77 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2020. In Maryland, that number is 77 years (76 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2020.
Economy
make 21.4% more money
Rhode Island has a GDP per capita of $56,938 as of 2024, while in Maryland, the GDP per capita is $69,127 as of 2024.
be 15.9% less likely to be unemployed
In Rhode Island, 4.4% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Maryland, that number is 3.7% as of 2025.
be 12.6% less likely to live below the poverty line
In Rhode Island, 10.3% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Maryland, however, that number is 9.0% as of 2023.
Safety
be 2.5 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 Maryland, that number is 420 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 85.3% 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 Maryland, that number is 2,043 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 17.7% more money
The median household income in Rhode Island is $86,372 as of 2023, while in Maryland, it is $101,652 as of 2023.
pay 30.6% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Rhode Island is $1,273 as of 2023, while in Maryland, it is $1,662 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 12.4% less likely to smoke
In Rhode Island, 13.7% of adults smoke as of 2022. In Maryland, that number is 12.0% as of 2022.
live in an area that is 39.8% less densely populated
Rhode Island has a population density of 407.8 people per sq km as of 2023. In Maryland, that number is 245.6 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 11.9% more 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 Maryland, that number is 29.1% as of 2023.
be 10.6% more likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Rhode Island, 6.6% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In Maryland, that number is 7.3% as of 2023.
commute 6.0 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in Rhode Island takes 25.5 minutes as of 2023. In Maryland, it takes 31.5 minutes as of 2023.
be 42.9% more likely to be uninsured
In Rhode Island, 4.2% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Maryland, that number is 6.0% 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.
