Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Montana instead of West Virginia, you would:
Health
live 4.0 years longer
In West Virginia, the average life expectancy is 73 years (72 years for men, 77 years for women) as of 2020. In Montana, that number is 77 years (76 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2020.
be 21.5% less likely to be obese
In West Virginia, 40.5% of adults are obese as of 2022. In Montana, that number is 31.8% of people as of 2022.
be 38.8% less likely to have diabetes
In West Virginia, 12.9% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In Montana, that number is 7.9% as of 2022.
Economy
make 13.0% more money
West Virginia has a GDP per capita of $46,834 as of 2024, while in Montana, the GDP per capita is $52,945 as of 2024.
be 15.9% less likely to be unemployed
In West Virginia, 4.4% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Montana, that number is 3.7% as of 2025.
be 30.1% less likely to live below the poverty line
In West Virginia, 16.3% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Montana, however, that number is 11.4% as of 2023.
Safety
be 64.4% 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 Montana, that number is 437 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 51.5% 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 Montana, that number is 1,815 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 20.7% more money
The median household income in West Virginia is $57,917 as of 2023, while in Montana, it is $69,922 as of 2023.
pay 2.2 times more for a home
The median home value in West Virginia is $155,600 as of 2023, compared to $338,100 in Montana as of 2023.
pay 21.3% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in West Virginia is $850 as of 2023, while in Montana, it is $1,031 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 7.4 minutes less
The average one-way commute in West Virginia takes 26.6 minutes as of 2023. In Montana, it takes 19.2 minutes as of 2023.
be 24.2% less likely to smoke
In West Virginia, 21.1% of adults smoke as of 2022. In Montana, that number is 16.0% as of 2022.
be 30.8% less likely to be physically inactive
In West Virginia, 29.9% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In Montana, that number is 20.7% as of 2022.
live in an area that is 89.4% less densely populated
West Virginia has a population density of 28.4 people per sq km as of 2023. In Montana, that number is 3.0 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 38.9% 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 Montana, that number is 23.2% as of 2023.
be 25.0% 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 Montana, that number is 1.0% as of 2023.
be 30.5% less likely to be food insecure
In West Virginia, 11.8% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Montana, that number is 8.2% as of 2021.
be 31.1% more likely to be uninsured
In West Virginia, 6.1% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Montana, that number is 8.0% as of 2023.
live among residents who are 2.5 years older on average
The median age in West Virginia is 42.7 years as of 2023. In Montana, the median age is 40.2 years 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.
