Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Virginia instead of Rhode Island, you would:
Health
be 11.7% more likely to be obese
In Rhode Island, 31.6% of adults are obese as of 2022. In Virginia, that number is 35.3% of people as of 2022.
be 12.7% more likely to have diabetes
In Rhode Island, 10.2% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In Virginia, that number is 11.5% as of 2022.
Economy
make 21.4% more money
Rhode Island has a GDP per capita of $56,938 as of 2024, while in Virginia, the GDP per capita is $69,111 as of 2024.
be 22.7% less likely to be unemployed
In Rhode Island, 4.4% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Virginia, that number is 3.4% as of 2025.
Safety
be 40.5% 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 Virginia, that number is 232 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 47.7% 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 Virginia, that number is 1,628 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 18.9% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Rhode Island is $1,273 as of 2023, while in Virginia, it is $1,514 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 11.7% less likely to be physically inactive
In Rhode Island, 23.9% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In Virginia, that number is 21.1% as of 2022.
live in an area that is 79.1% less densely populated
Rhode Island has a population density of 407.8 people per sq km as of 2023. In Virginia, that number is 85.2 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 14.1% less likely to be food insecure
In Rhode Island, 9.2% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Virginia, that number is 7.9% as of 2021.
commute 2.1 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in Rhode Island takes 25.5 minutes as of 2023. In Virginia, it takes 27.6 minutes as of 2023.
be 59.5% more likely to be uninsured
In Rhode Island, 4.2% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Virginia, that number is 6.7% as of 2023.
live among residents who are 1.7 years older on average
The median age in Rhode Island is 40.5 years as of 2023. In Virginia, the median age is 38.8 years as of 2023.
be 16.7% 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 Virginia, that number is 5.5% 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.
