Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Kentucky instead of Texas, you would:
Health
be 11.2% less likely to have diabetes
In Texas, 13.4% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In Kentucky, that number is 11.9% as of 2022.
live 3.0 years less
In Texas, the average life expectancy is 76 years (76 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2020. In Kentucky, that number is 74 years (73 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2020.
Economy
be 10.3% less likely to be unemployed
In Texas, 3.9% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Kentucky, that number is 3.5% as of 2025.
make 28.5% less money
Texas has a GDP per capita of $70,071 as of 2024, while in Kentucky, the GDP per capita is $50,135 as of 2024.
be 22.2% more likely to live below the poverty line
In Texas, 12.6% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Kentucky, however, that number is 15.4% as of 2023.
Safety
be 43.6% less likely to be a victim of violent crime
Texas has a violent crime rate of 391 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Kentucky, that number is 220 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 29.2% less likely to be a victim of property crime
Texas has a property crime rate of 2,153 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Kentucky, that number is 1,525 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 26.2% less for a home
The median home value in Texas is $260,400 as of 2023, compared to $192,300 in Kentucky as of 2023.
pay 30.3% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Texas is $1,339 as of 2023, while in Kentucky, it is $933 as of 2023.
earn 18.2% less money
The median household income in Texas is $76,292 as of 2023, while in Kentucky, it is $62,417 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 2.7 minutes less
The average one-way commute in Texas takes 26.7 minutes as of 2023. In Kentucky, it takes 24.0 minutes as of 2023.
be 64.4% less likely to be uninsured
In Texas, 16.0% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Kentucky, that number is 5.7% as of 2023.
live among residents who are 3.6 years older on average
The median age in Texas is 35.5 years as of 2023. In Kentucky, the median age is 39.1 years as of 2023.
be 27.2% more likely to smoke
In Texas, 14.7% of adults smoke as of 2022. In Kentucky, that number is 18.7% as of 2022.
be 10.4% less likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Texas, 20.1% of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher as of 2023. In Kentucky, that number is 18.0% as of 2023.
be 73.4% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Texas, 9.4% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In Kentucky, that number is 2.5% 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.
