Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Massachusetts instead of Virginia, you would:
Health
live 1.4 years longer
In Virginia, the average life expectancy is 78 years (77 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2020. In Massachusetts, that number is 79 years (78 years for men, 83 years for women) as of 2020.
be 18.4% less likely to be obese
In Virginia, 35.3% of adults are obese as of 2022. In Massachusetts, that number is 28.8% of people as of 2022.
be 23.5% less likely to have diabetes
In Virginia, 11.5% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In Massachusetts, that number is 8.8% as of 2022.
Economy
make 27.2% more money
Virginia has a GDP per capita of $69,111 as of 2024, while in Massachusetts, the GDP per capita is $87,892 as of 2024.
be 38.2% more likely to be unemployed
In Virginia, 3.4% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Massachusetts, that number is 4.7% as of 2025.
Safety
be 33.8% less likely to be a victim of property crime
Virginia has a property crime rate of 1,628 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Massachusetts, that number is 1,077 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 32.6% more likely to be a victim of violent crime
Virginia has a violent crime rate of 232 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Massachusetts, that number is 308 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 11.4% more money
The median household income in Virginia is $90,974 as of 2023, while in Massachusetts, it is $101,341 as of 2023.
pay 45.8% more for a home
The median home value in Virginia is $360,700 as of 2023, compared to $525,800 in Massachusetts as of 2023.
pay 11.4% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Virginia is $1,514 as of 2023, while in Massachusetts, it is $1,687 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 61.2% less likely to be uninsured
In Virginia, 6.7% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Massachusetts, that number is 2.6% as of 2023.
be 10.9% less likely to smoke
In Virginia, 13.7% of adults smoke as of 2022. In Massachusetts, that number is 12.2% as of 2022.
live among residents who are 1.2 years older on average
The median age in Virginia is 38.8 years as of 2023. In Massachusetts, the median age is 40.0 years as of 2023.
be 15.8% more 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 Massachusetts, that number is 32.2% as of 2023.
be 43.6% more likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Virginia, 5.5% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In Massachusetts, that number is 7.9% as of 2023.
commute 1.7 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in Virginia takes 27.6 minutes as of 2023. In Massachusetts, it takes 29.3 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 4.1 times more densely populated
Virginia has a population density of 85.2 people per sq km as of 2023. In Massachusetts, that number is 348.0 people per sq km 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.
