Quality of life comparison
If you lived in North Carolina instead of Rhode Island, you would:
Health
live 2.1 years less
In Rhode Island, the average life expectancy is 78 years (77 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2020. In North Carolina, that number is 76 years (75 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2020.
Economy
be 22.7% less likely to be unemployed
In Rhode Island, 4.4% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In North Carolina, that number is 3.4% as of 2025.
be 17.5% more likely to live below the poverty line
In Rhode Island, 10.3% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In North Carolina, however, that number is 12.1% as of 2023.
Safety
be 2.3 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 North Carolina, that number is 379 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 81.3% 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 North Carolina, that number is 1,998 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 29.7% less for a home
The median home value in Rhode Island is $368,800 as of 2023, compared to $259,400 in North Carolina as of 2023.
earn 19.1% less money
The median household income in Rhode Island is $86,372 as of 2023, while in North Carolina, it is $69,904 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
live in an area that is 78.9% less densely populated
Rhode Island has a population density of 407.8 people per sq km as of 2023. In North Carolina, that number is 86.2 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 2.3 times more likely to be uninsured
In Rhode Island, 4.2% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In North Carolina, that number is 9.6% as of 2023.
live among residents who are 1.4 years older on average
The median age in Rhode Island is 40.5 years as of 2023. In North Carolina, the median age is 39.1 years as of 2023.
be 13.5% 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 North Carolina, that number is 22.5% as of 2023.
be 27.3% 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 North Carolina, that number is 4.8% as of 2023.
be 21.7% more likely to be food insecure
In Rhode Island, 9.2% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In North Carolina, that number is 11.2% as of 2021.
The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: Feeding America, OECD Regional Demography, Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
