Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Mississippi instead of West Virginia, you would:
Health
live 0.9 years less
In West Virginia, the average life expectancy is 73 years (72 years for men, 77 years for women) as of 2020. In Mississippi, that number is 72 years (71 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2020.
Economy
be 29.5% less likely to be unemployed
In West Virginia, 4.4% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Mississippi, that number is 3.1% as of 2025.
make 10.8% less money
West Virginia has a GDP per capita of $46,834 as of 2024, while in Mississippi, the GDP per capita is $41,778 as of 2024.
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 Mississippi, however, that number is 18.4% as of 2023.
Safety
be 24.2% 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 Mississippi, that number is 202 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 31.9% 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 Mississippi, that number is 1,579 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 10.9% less likely to smoke
In West Virginia, 21.1% of adults smoke as of 2022. In Mississippi, that number is 18.8% as of 2022.
live in an area that is 14.8% less densely populated
West Virginia has a population density of 28.4 people per sq km as of 2023. In Mississippi, that number is 24.2 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 75.0% 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 Mississippi, that number is 1.4% as of 2023.
be 85.2% more likely to be uninsured
In West Virginia, 6.1% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Mississippi, that number is 11.3% as of 2023.
live among residents who are 4.3 years older on average
The median age in West Virginia is 42.7 years as of 2023. In Mississippi, the median age is 38.4 years as of 2023.
be 38.1% more likely to be food insecure
In West Virginia, 11.8% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Mississippi, that number is 16.3% 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.
