Quality of life comparison
If you lived in California instead of Tennessee, you would:
Health
live 5.2 years longer
In Tennessee, the average life expectancy is 74 years (73 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2020. In California, that number is 79 years (78 years for men, 83 years for women) as of 2020.
be 25.1% less likely to be obese
In Tennessee, 37.9% of adults are obese as of 2022. In California, that number is 28.4% of people as of 2022.
be 13.6% less likely to have diabetes
In Tennessee, 12.5% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In California, that number is 10.8% as of 2022.
Economy
make 39.6% more money
Tennessee has a GDP per capita of $60,177 as of 2024, while in California, the GDP per capita is $84,028 as of 2024.
be 50.0% more likely to be unemployed
In Tennessee, 3.4% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In California, that number is 5.1% as of 2025.
Safety
be 17.8% less likely to be a victim of violent crime
Tennessee has a violent crime rate of 612 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In California, that number is 503 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 43.6% more money
The median household income in Tennessee is $67,097 as of 2023, while in California, it is $96,334 as of 2023.
pay 2.7 times more for a home
The median home value in Tennessee is $256,800 as of 2023, compared to $695,400 in California as of 2023.
pay 74.3% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Tennessee is $1,122 as of 2023, while in California, it is $1,956 as of 2023.
be 16.7% less likely to own your home
In Tennessee, 67.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied as of 2023. In California, that number is 55.8% as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 28.4% less likely to be uninsured
In Tennessee, 9.5% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In California, that number is 6.8% as of 2023.
be 40.5% less likely to smoke
In Tennessee, 19.5% of adults smoke as of 2022. In California, that number is 11.6% as of 2022.
be 18.8% less likely to be physically inactive
In Tennessee, 27.6% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In California, that number is 22.4% as of 2022.
be 25.0% more likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Tennessee, 20.0% of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher as of 2023. In California, that number is 25.0% as of 2023.
be 3.6 times more likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Tennessee, 3.4% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In California, that number is 12.2% as of 2023.
commute 3.3 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in Tennessee takes 25.7 minutes as of 2023. In California, it takes 29.0 minutes as of 2023.
live among residents who are 1.3 years older on average
The median age in Tennessee is 38.9 years as of 2023. In California, the median age is 37.6 years as of 2023.
live in an area that is 44.8% more densely populated
Tennessee has a population density of 67.0 people per sq km as of 2023. In California, that number is 97.0 people per sq km 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.
