Quality of life comparison
If you lived in District of Columbia instead of West Virginia, you would:
Health
live 5.2 years longer
In West Virginia, the average life expectancy is 73 years (72 years for men, 77 years for women) as of 2020. In District of Columbia, that number is 78 years (75 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2019.
be 37.5% less likely to be obese
In West Virginia, 40.5% of adults are obese as of 2022. In District of Columbia, that number is 25.3% of people as of 2022.
be 31.8% less likely to have diabetes
In West Virginia, 12.9% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In District of Columbia, that number is 8.8% as of 2022.
Economy
make 4.5 times more money
West Virginia has a GDP per capita of $46,834 as of 2024, while in District of Columbia, the GDP per capita is $209,167 as of 2024.
be 16.6% less likely to live below the poverty line
In West Virginia, 16.3% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In District of Columbia, however, that number is 13.6% as of 2023.
be 45.5% more likely to be unemployed
In West Virginia, 4.4% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In District of Columbia, that number is 6.4% as of 2025.
Safety
be 4.2 times 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 District of Columbia, that number is 1,126 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 3.5 times 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 District of Columbia, that number is 4,216 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 83.5% more money
The median household income in West Virginia is $57,917 as of 2023, while in District of Columbia, it is $106,287 as of 2023.
pay 4.7 times more for a home
The median home value in West Virginia is $155,600 as of 2023, compared to $724,600 in District of Columbia as of 2023.
pay 2.2 times more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in West Virginia is $850 as of 2023, while in District of Columbia, it is $1,900 as of 2023.
be 44.7% less likely to own your home
In West Virginia, 74.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied as of 2023. In District of Columbia, that number is 41.1% as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 45.9% less likely to be uninsured
In West Virginia, 6.1% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In District of Columbia, that number is 3.3% as of 2023.
be 45.0% less likely to smoke
In West Virginia, 21.1% of adults smoke as of 2022. In District of Columbia, that number is 11.6% as of 2022.
be 48.2% less likely to be physically inactive
In West Virginia, 29.9% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In District of Columbia, that number is 15.5% as of 2022.
be 2.7 times 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 District of Columbia, that number is 44.4% as of 2023.
be 8.1 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 District of Columbia, that number is 6.5% as of 2023.
be 16.1% less likely to be food insecure
In West Virginia, 11.8% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In District of Columbia, that number is 9.9% as of 2021.
commute 3.7 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in West Virginia takes 26.6 minutes as of 2023. In District of Columbia, it takes 30.3 minutes as of 2023.
live among residents who are 7.8 years older on average
The median age in West Virginia is 42.7 years as of 2023. In District of Columbia, the median age is 34.9 years as of 2023.
live in an area that is 152.2 times more densely populated
West Virginia has a population density of 28.4 people per sq km as of 2023. In District of Columbia, that number is 4,322.8 people per sq km as of 2023.
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.
