Quality of life comparison
If you lived in California instead of Wyoming, you would:
Health
live 2.7 years longer
In Wyoming, the average life expectancy is 76 years (75 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2020. In California, that number is 79 years (78 years for men, 83 years for women) as of 2020.
be 17.9% less likely to be obese
In Wyoming, 34.6% of adults are obese as of 2022. In California, that number is 28.4% of people as of 2022.
be 21.3% more likely to have diabetes
In Wyoming, 8.9% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In California, that number is 10.8% as of 2022.
Economy
make 24.4% more money
Wyoming has a GDP per capita of $67,568 as of 2024, while in California, the GDP per capita is $84,028 as of 2024.
be 41.7% more likely to be unemployed
In Wyoming, 3.6% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In California, that number is 5.1% as of 2025.
be 13.6% more likely to live below the poverty line
In Wyoming, 10.3% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In California, however, that number is 11.7% as of 2023.
Safety
be 2.7 times more likely to be a victim of violent crime
Wyoming has a violent crime rate of 190 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In California, that number is 503 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 57.9% more likely to be a victim of property crime
Wyoming has a property crime rate of 1,458 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In California, that number is 2,303 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 28.8% more money
The median household income in Wyoming is $74,815 as of 2023, while in California, it is $96,334 as of 2023.
pay 2.4 times more for a home
The median home value in Wyoming is $285,100 as of 2023, compared to $695,400 in California as of 2023.
pay 2.0 times more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Wyoming is $968 as of 2023, while in California, it is $1,956 as of 2023.
be 22.4% less likely to own your home
In Wyoming, 71.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied as of 2023. In California, that number is 55.8% as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 39.3% less likely to be uninsured
In Wyoming, 11.2% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In California, that number is 6.8% as of 2023.
be 30.5% less likely to smoke
In Wyoming, 16.7% of adults smoke as of 2022. In California, that number is 11.6% as of 2022.
be 24.4% more likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Wyoming, 20.1% of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher as of 2023. In California, that number is 25.0% as of 2023.
be 6.1 times more likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Wyoming, 2.0% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In California, that number is 12.2% as of 2023.
commute 10.5 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in Wyoming takes 18.5 minutes as of 2023. In California, it takes 29.0 minutes as of 2023.
live among residents who are 1.2 years older on average
The median age in Wyoming is 38.8 years as of 2023. In California, the median age is 37.6 years as of 2023.
live in an area that is 42.2 times more densely populated
Wyoming has a population density of 2.3 people per sq km as of 2023. In California, that number is 97.0 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), Bureau of Economic Analysis, FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
