Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Alaska instead of Washington, you would:
Health
live 2.6 years less
In Washington, the average life expectancy is 79 years (78 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2020. In Alaska, that number is 77 years (76 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2020.
Economy
make 13.5% less money
Washington has a GDP per capita of $87,768 as of 2024, while in Alaska, the GDP per capita is $75,882 as of 2024.
Safety
be 33.7% less likely to be a victim of property crime
Washington has a property crime rate of 2,819 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Alaska, that number is 1,868 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 2.1 times more likely to be a victim of violent crime
Washington has a violent crime rate of 349 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Alaska, that number is 722 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 35.9% less for a home
The median home value in Washington is $519,800 as of 2023, compared to $333,300 in Alaska as of 2023.
pay 17.5% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Washington is $1,682 as of 2023, while in Alaska, it is $1,388 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 7.5 minutes less
The average one-way commute in Washington takes 27.0 minutes as of 2023. In Alaska, it takes 19.5 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 98.9% less densely populated
Washington has a population density of 45.6 people per sq km as of 2023. In Alaska, that number is 0.5 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 75.4% more likely to be uninsured
In Washington, 6.1% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Alaska, that number is 10.7% as of 2023.
be 54.1% more likely to smoke
In Washington, 10.9% of adults smoke as of 2022. In Alaska, that number is 16.8% as of 2022.
be 30.8% more likely to be physically inactive
In Washington, 17.2% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In Alaska, that number is 22.5% as of 2022.
live among residents who are 2.6 years older on average
The median age in Washington is 38.2 years as of 2023. In Alaska, the median age is 35.6 years as of 2023.
be 21.0% less likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Washington, 26.2% of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher as of 2023. In Alaska, that number is 20.7% as of 2023.
be 60.5% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Washington, 7.6% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In Alaska, that number is 3.0% as of 2023.
be 23.3% more likely to be food insecure
In Washington, 8.6% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Alaska, that number is 10.6% 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, FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
