Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Maryland instead of Washington, you would:
Health
live 2.4 years less
In Washington, the average life expectancy is 79 years (78 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2020. In Maryland, that number is 77 years (76 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2020.
be 24.1% more likely to have diabetes
In Washington, 8.7% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In Maryland, that number is 10.8% as of 2022.
Economy
be 30.2% less likely to be unemployed
In Washington, 5.3% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Maryland, that number is 3.7% as of 2025.
make 21.2% less money
Washington has a GDP per capita of $87,768 as of 2024, while in Maryland, the GDP per capita is $69,127 as of 2024.
Safety
be 27.5% 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 Maryland, that number is 2,043 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 20.5% 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 Maryland, that number is 420 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 23.5% less for a home
The median home value in Washington is $519,800 as of 2023, compared to $397,700 in Maryland as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 11.1% more 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 Maryland, that number is 29.1% as of 2023.
commute 4.5 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in Washington takes 27.0 minutes as of 2023. In Maryland, it takes 31.5 minutes as of 2023.
be 10.1% more likely to smoke
In Washington, 10.9% of adults smoke as of 2022. In Maryland, that number is 12.0% as of 2022.
be 26.7% more likely to be physically inactive
In Washington, 17.2% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In Maryland, that number is 21.8% as of 2022.
live in an area that is 5.4 times more densely populated
Washington has a population density of 45.6 people per sq km as of 2023. In Maryland, that number is 245.6 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 11.6% more likely to be food insecure
In Washington, 8.6% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Maryland, that number is 9.6% 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), Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), Bureau of Economic Analysis, FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
