Quality of life comparison
If you lived in West Virginia instead of Utah, you would:
Health
live 5.8 years less
In Utah, the average life expectancy is 79 years (78 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2020. In West Virginia, that number is 73 years (72 years for men, 77 years for women) as of 2020.
be 25.4% more likely to be obese
In Utah, 32.3% of adults are obese as of 2022. In West Virginia, that number is 40.5% of people as of 2022.
be 38.7% more likely to have diabetes
In Utah, 9.3% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In West Virginia, that number is 12.9% as of 2022.
Economy
make 29.3% less money
Utah has a GDP per capita of $66,207 as of 2024, while in West Virginia, the GDP per capita is $46,834 as of 2024.
be 25.7% more likely to be unemployed
In Utah, 3.5% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In West Virginia, that number is 4.4% as of 2025.
be 2.1 times more likely to live below the poverty line
In Utah, 7.9% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In West Virginia, however, that number is 16.3% as of 2023.
Safety
be 24.0% less likely to be a victim of property crime
Utah has a property crime rate of 1,576 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In West Virginia, that number is 1,198 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 18.6% more likely to be a victim of violent crime
Utah has a violent crime rate of 224 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In West Virginia, that number is 266 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 65.8% less for a home
The median home value in Utah is $455,000 as of 2023, compared to $155,600 in West Virginia as of 2023.
pay 39.5% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Utah is $1,405 as of 2023, while in West Virginia, it is $850 as of 2023.
earn 36.9% less money
The median household income in Utah is $91,750 as of 2023, while in West Virginia, it is $57,917 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 24.7% less likely to be uninsured
In Utah, 8.1% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In West Virginia, that number is 6.1% as of 2023.
live among residents who are 11.0 years older on average
The median age in Utah is 31.7 years as of 2023. In West Virginia, the median age is 42.7 years as of 2023.
commute 4.6 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in Utah takes 22.0 minutes as of 2023. In West Virginia, it takes 26.6 minutes as of 2023.
be 2.5 times more likely to smoke
In Utah, 8.4% of adults smoke as of 2022. In West Virginia, that number is 21.1% as of 2022.
be 64.3% more likely to be physically inactive
In Utah, 18.2% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In West Virginia, that number is 29.9% as of 2022.
live in an area that is 75.3% more densely populated
Utah has a population density of 16.2 people per sq km as of 2023. In West Virginia, that number is 28.4 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 20.1% less likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Utah, 20.9% of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher as of 2023. In West Virginia, that number is 16.7% as of 2023.
be 82.6% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Utah, 4.6% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In West Virginia, that number is 0.8% as of 2023.
be 31.1% more likely to be food insecure
In Utah, 9.0% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In West Virginia, that number is 11.8% as of 2021.
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.
