Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Louisiana instead of West Virginia, you would:
Economy
make 18.8% more money
West Virginia has a GDP per capita of $46,834 as of 2024, while in Louisiana, the GDP per capita is $55,662 as of 2024.
be 11.4% less likely to be unemployed
In West Virginia, 4.4% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Louisiana, that number is 3.9% as of 2025.
be 12.9% more likely to live below the poverty line
In West Virginia, 16.3% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Louisiana, however, that number is 18.4% as of 2023.
Safety
be 2.0 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 Louisiana, that number is 543 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 2.2 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 Louisiana, that number is 2,605 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 34.1% more for a home
The median home value in West Virginia is $155,600 as of 2023, compared to $208,700 in Louisiana as of 2023.
pay 22.1% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in West Virginia is $850 as of 2023, while in Louisiana, it is $1,038 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 3.5 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 Louisiana, that number is 2.8% as of 2023.
be 29.5% more likely to be uninsured
In West Virginia, 6.1% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Louisiana, that number is 7.9% as of 2023.
live among residents who are 4.9 years older on average
The median age in West Virginia is 42.7 years as of 2023. In Louisiana, the median age is 37.8 years as of 2023.
live in an area that is 43.3% more densely populated
West Virginia has a population density of 28.4 people per sq km as of 2023. In Louisiana, that number is 40.7 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 25.4% more likely to be food insecure
In West Virginia, 11.8% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Louisiana, that number is 14.8% as of 2021.
The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: Feeding America, OECD Regional Demography, Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), Bureau of Economic Analysis, FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
