Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Kentucky instead of Virginia, you would:
Health
live 4.1 years less
In Virginia, the average life expectancy is 78 years (77 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
make 27.5% less money
Virginia has a GDP per capita of $69,111 as of 2024, while in Kentucky, the GDP per capita is $50,135 as of 2024.
be 63.8% more likely to live below the poverty line
In Virginia, 9.4% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Kentucky, however, that number is 15.4% as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 46.7% less for a home
The median home value in Virginia is $360,700 as of 2023, compared to $192,300 in Kentucky as of 2023.
pay 38.4% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Virginia is $1,514 as of 2023, while in Kentucky, it is $933 as of 2023.
earn 31.4% less money
The median household income in Virginia is $90,974 as of 2023, while in Kentucky, it is $62,417 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 3.6 minutes less
The average one-way commute in Virginia takes 27.6 minutes as of 2023. In Kentucky, it takes 24.0 minutes as of 2023.
be 14.9% less likely to be uninsured
In Virginia, 6.7% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Kentucky, that number is 5.7% as of 2023.
live in an area that is 48.1% less densely populated
Virginia has a population density of 85.2 people per sq km as of 2023. In Kentucky, that number is 44.2 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 36.5% more likely to smoke
In Virginia, 13.7% of adults smoke as of 2022. In Kentucky, that number is 18.7% as of 2022.
be 22.3% more likely to be physically inactive
In Virginia, 21.1% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In Kentucky, that number is 25.8% as of 2022.
be 35.3% less likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Virginia, 27.8% of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher as of 2023. In Kentucky, that number is 18.0% as of 2023.
be 54.5% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Virginia, 5.5% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In Kentucky, that number is 2.5% as of 2023.
be 59.5% more likely to be food insecure
In Virginia, 7.9% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Kentucky, that number is 12.6% 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), US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), Bureau of Economic Analysis.
