Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Oklahoma instead of West Virginia, you would:
Health
live 1.3 years longer
In West Virginia, the average life expectancy is 73 years (72 years for men, 77 years for women) as of 2020. In Oklahoma, that number is 74 years (73 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2020.
Economy
be 13.6% less likely to be unemployed
In West Virginia, 4.4% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Oklahoma, that number is 3.8% as of 2025.
be 11.7% less likely to live below the poverty line
In West Virginia, 16.3% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Oklahoma, however, that number is 14.4% as of 2023.
Safety
be 52.8% 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 Oklahoma, that number is 407 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 76.4% 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 Oklahoma, that number is 2,112 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 19.5% more for a home
The median home value in West Virginia is $155,600 as of 2023, compared to $185,900 in Oklahoma as of 2023.
pay 15.3% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in West Virginia is $850 as of 2023, while in Oklahoma, it is $980 as of 2023.
be 11.4% less likely to own your home
In West Virginia, 74.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied as of 2023. In Oklahoma, that number is 65.8% as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 4.2 minutes less
The average one-way commute in West Virginia takes 26.6 minutes as of 2023. In Oklahoma, it takes 22.4 minutes as of 2023.
be 17.1% less likely to smoke
In West Virginia, 21.1% of adults smoke as of 2022. In Oklahoma, that number is 17.5% as of 2022.
live in an area that is 19.4% less densely populated
West Virginia has a population density of 28.4 people per sq km as of 2023. In Oklahoma, that number is 22.9 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 4.5 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 Oklahoma, that number is 3.6% as of 2023.
be 2.1 times more likely to be uninsured
In West Virginia, 6.1% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Oklahoma, that number is 12.7% as of 2023.
live among residents who are 5.8 years older on average
The median age in West Virginia is 42.7 years as of 2023. In Oklahoma, the median age is 36.9 years as of 2023.
be 15.3% more likely to be food insecure
In West Virginia, 11.8% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Oklahoma, that number is 13.6% 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), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
