Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Alabama instead of West Virginia, you would:
Economy
be 47.7% less likely to be unemployed
In West Virginia, 4.4% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Alabama, that number is 2.3% as of 2025.
Safety
be 49.3% more likely to be a victim of violent crime
West Virginia has a violent crime rate of 266 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Alabama, that number is 397 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 39.5% more likely to be a victim of property crime
West Virginia has a property crime rate of 1,198 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Alabama, that number is 1,671 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 25.4% more for a home
The median home value in West Virginia is $155,600 as of 2023, compared to $195,100 in Alabama as of 2023.
pay 13.3% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in West Virginia is $850 as of 2023, while in Alabama, it is $963 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 19.4% less likely to smoke
In West Virginia, 21.1% of adults smoke as of 2022. In Alabama, that number is 17.0% as of 2022.
be 10.2% more likely to have a bachelor's degree
In West Virginia, 16.7% of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher as of 2023. In Alabama, that number is 18.4% as of 2023.
be 2.8 times more likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In West Virginia, 0.8% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In Alabama, that number is 2.2% as of 2023.
be 47.5% more likely to be uninsured
In West Virginia, 6.1% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Alabama, that number is 9.0% as of 2023.
live among residents who are 3.4 years older on average
The median age in West Virginia is 42.7 years as of 2023. In Alabama, the median age is 39.3 years as of 2023.
live in an area that is 37.0% more densely populated
West Virginia has a population density of 28.4 people per sq km as of 2023. In Alabama, that number is 38.9 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 22.0% more likely to be food insecure
In West Virginia, 11.8% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Alabama, that number is 14.4% 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), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
