Quality of life comparison
If you lived in North Carolina instead of Washington, you would:
Health
live 3.1 years less
In Washington, the average life expectancy is 79 years (78 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2020. In North Carolina, that number is 76 years (75 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2020.
be 23.0% more likely to have diabetes
In Washington, 8.7% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In North Carolina, that number is 10.7% as of 2022.
Economy
be 35.8% less likely to be unemployed
In Washington, 5.3% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In North Carolina, that number is 3.4% as of 2025.
make 32.4% less money
Washington has a GDP per capita of $87,768 as of 2024, while in North Carolina, the GDP per capita is $59,308 as of 2024.
be 28.7% more likely to live below the poverty line
In Washington, 9.4% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In North Carolina, however, that number is 12.1% as of 2023.
Safety
be 29.1% 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 North Carolina, that number is 1,998 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 50.1% less for a home
The median home value in Washington is $519,800 as of 2023, compared to $259,400 in North Carolina as of 2023.
pay 30.9% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Washington is $1,682 as of 2023, while in North Carolina, it is $1,162 as of 2023.
earn 26.4% less money
The median household income in Washington is $94,952 as of 2023, while in North Carolina, it is $69,904 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 1.9 minutes less
The average one-way commute in Washington takes 27.0 minutes as of 2023. In North Carolina, it takes 25.1 minutes as of 2023.
be 57.4% more likely to be uninsured
In Washington, 6.1% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In North Carolina, that number is 9.6% as of 2023.
be 33.9% more likely to smoke
In Washington, 10.9% of adults smoke as of 2022. In North Carolina, that number is 14.6% as of 2022.
be 29.1% more likely to be physically inactive
In Washington, 17.2% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In North Carolina, that number is 22.2% as of 2022.
live in an area that is 89.0% more densely populated
Washington has a population density of 45.6 people per sq km as of 2023. In North Carolina, that number is 86.2 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 14.1% 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 North Carolina, that number is 22.5% as of 2023.
be 36.8% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Washington, 7.6% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In North Carolina, that number is 4.8% as of 2023.
be 30.2% more likely to be food insecure
In Washington, 8.6% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In North Carolina, that number is 11.2% 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.
