Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Zambia instead of Tennessee, you would:

Health

live 7.5 years less

In Tennessee, the average life expectancy is 74 years (73 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2020. In Zambia, that number is 66 years (65 years for men, 68 years for women) as of 2022.

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Economy

make 93.9% less money

Tennessee has a GDP per capita of $60,177 as of 2024, while in Zambia, the GDP per capita is $3,700 as of 2023.

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be 73.8% more likely to be unemployed

In Tennessee, 3.4% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Zambia, that number is 5.9% as of 2023.

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be 4.7 times more likely to live below the poverty line

In Tennessee, 12.9% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Zambia, however, that number is 60.0% as of 2022.

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Basic Needs

be 76.0% less likely to have internet access

In Tennessee, approximately 87.6% of the population has internet access as of 2023. In Zambia, about 21.0% do as of 2021.

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The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, OECD Regional Demography, Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Compare further: Tennessee vs. Zambia

Cost of Living Comparison · 7 categories - 2026 data
Zambia is 46.9% cheaper than Tennessee
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Size Comparison · See true size
Tennessee is about 7 times smaller than Zambia.
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Zambia: At a glance

Zambia is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 743,398 sq km. The territory of Northern Rhodesia was administered by the [British] South Africa Company from 1891 until it was taken over by the UK in 1923. During the 1920s and 1930s, advances in mining spurred development and immigration. The name was changed to Zambia upon independence in 1964. In the 1980s and 1990s, declining copper prices, economic mismanagement and a prolonged drought hurt the economy. Elections in 1991 brought an end to one-party rule, but the subsequent vote in 1996 saw blatant harassment of opposition parties. The election in 2001 was marked by administrative problems with three parties filing a legal petition challenging the election of ruling party candidate Levy MWANAWASA. MWANAWASA was reelected in 2006 in an election that was deemed free and fair. Upon his abrupt death in August 2008, he was succeeded by his vice president, Rupiah BANDA, who subsequently won a special presidential by-election in October 2008. Michael SATA was elected president in September 2011.
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How big is Zambia compared to Tennessee? See an in-depth size comparison.

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