Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Kentucky instead of West Virginia, you would:
Economy
be 20.5% less likely to be unemployed
In West Virginia, 4.4% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Kentucky, that number is 3.5% as of 2025.
Safety
be 17.2% less 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 Kentucky, that number is 220 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 27.3% 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 Kentucky, that number is 1,525 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 23.6% more for a home
The median home value in West Virginia is $155,600 as of 2023, compared to $192,300 in Kentucky as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 2.6 minutes less
The average one-way commute in West Virginia takes 26.6 minutes as of 2023. In Kentucky, it takes 24.0 minutes as of 2023.
be 11.4% less likely to smoke
In West Virginia, 21.1% of adults smoke as of 2022. In Kentucky, that number is 18.7% as of 2022.
be 13.7% less likely to be physically inactive
In West Virginia, 29.9% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In Kentucky, that number is 25.8% as of 2022.
be 3.1 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 Kentucky, that number is 2.5% as of 2023.
live among residents who are 3.6 years older on average
The median age in West Virginia is 42.7 years as of 2023. In Kentucky, the median age is 39.1 years as of 2023.
live in an area that is 55.6% more densely populated
West Virginia has a population density of 28.4 people per sq km as of 2023. In Kentucky, that number is 44.2 people per sq km as of 2023.
The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: OECD Regional Demography, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
