Quality of life comparison
If you lived in West Virginia instead of Vermont, you would:
Health
live 6.0 years less
In Vermont, the average life expectancy is 79 years (77 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 48.9% more likely to be obese
In Vermont, 27.2% of adults are obese as of 2022. In West Virginia, that number is 40.5% of people as of 2022.
be 89.7% more likely to have diabetes
In Vermont, 6.8% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In West Virginia, that number is 12.9% as of 2022.
Economy
make 17.1% less money
Vermont has a GDP per capita of $56,462 as of 2024, while in West Virginia, the GDP per capita is $46,834 as of 2024.
be 69.2% more likely to be unemployed
In Vermont, 2.6% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In West Virginia, that number is 4.4% as of 2025.
be 64.6% more likely to live below the poverty line
In Vermont, 9.9% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In West Virginia, however, that number is 16.3% as of 2023.
Safety
be 33.5% less likely to be a victim of property crime
Vermont has a property crime rate of 1,802 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In West Virginia, that number is 1,198 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 25.9% more likely to be a victim of violent crime
Vermont has a violent crime rate of 211 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In West Virginia, that number is 266 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 46.4% less for a home
The median home value in Vermont is $290,500 as of 2023, compared to $155,600 in West Virginia as of 2023.
pay 28.8% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Vermont is $1,193 as of 2023, while in West Virginia, it is $850 as of 2023.
earn 25.8% less money
The median household income in Vermont is $78,024 as of 2023, while in West Virginia, it is $57,917 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 3.2 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in Vermont takes 23.4 minutes as of 2023. In West Virginia, it takes 26.6 minutes as of 2023.
be 56.4% more likely to be uninsured
In Vermont, 3.9% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In West Virginia, that number is 6.1% as of 2023.
be 55.1% more likely to smoke
In Vermont, 13.6% of adults smoke as of 2022. In West Virginia, that number is 21.1% as of 2022.
be 71.8% more likely to be physically inactive
In Vermont, 17.4% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In West Virginia, that number is 29.9% as of 2022.
be 45.4% less likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Vermont, 30.6% 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 52.9% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Vermont, 1.7% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In West Virginia, that number is 0.8% as of 2023.
be 32.6% more likely to be food insecure
In Vermont, 8.9% 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.
