Is Florida or North Dakota a better state to live in?

Based on our composite scoring, North Dakota ranks higher overall. Florida is #28 and North Dakota is #7 out of 50 states. Florida wins 2 of 11 categories, while North Dakota wins 9.

How does Florida compare to North Dakota in cost of living?

Florida has a cost of living index of 103, while North Dakota's is 89 (100 = national average). North Dakota is more affordable.

Which state is safer, Florida or North Dakota?

Florida has 384 violent crimes per 100K residents, vs 267 in North Dakota. North Dakota has the lower crime rate.

What are the median incomes in Florida vs North Dakota?

Florida's median household income is $71,516, compared to $72,583 in North Dakota.

Florida vs North Dakota: Side-by-Side (2026)

C+

Florida

#28·South

52.8Composite Score

VSNorth Dakota leads

North Dakota

#7·Midwest

76.6Composite Score

2FL wins

9ND wins

Category Overlay

FloridaNorth Dakota

Category Scores

💰 EconomyND +31.0

36.7

67.7

🛡️ SafetyND +6.3

56.2

62.5

🏥 HealthND +36.7

28.6

65.3

🎓 EducationND +24.5

57.1

81.6

💼 Fiscal HealthFL +0.4

70.2

69.8

📈 GrowthFL +11.6

65.3

53.7

🏠 AffordabilityND +24.8

59.9

84.7

🌿 EnvironmentND +4.5

34.0

38.5

🏞️ Outdoor AccessND +11.3

27.8

39.1

🚇 TransportationND +5.4

44.9

50.3

🎭 LivabilityND +13.2

34.1

47.3

Key Metrics Comparison

Metric	Florida	North Dakota	Winner
Population	22,610,726	783,926	FL
Median Income	$71,516	$72,583	ND
Unemployment	4.3%	2.2%	ND
Violent Crime Rate(per 100K)	384	267	ND
Cost of Living(100 = national avg)	103	89	ND
HS Graduation Rate	87%	89%	ND
Life Expectancy	78.2 yr	79 yr	ND
Pop Growth	+2%	+0.8%	FL

Florida vs North Dakota: How Do They Compare?

Florida ranks #28 overall with a composite score of 52.8, earning a C+ grade. North Dakota sits at #7 with 76.6 and a A grade. North Dakota has the edge overall, winning 9 of 11 categories.

On the economic front, Florida has 4.3% unemployment and a $71,516 median income, while North Dakota reports 2.2% unemployment and $72,583 median income.

For safety, Florida's violent crime rate is 384 per 100K compared to 267 in North Dakota. Cost of living favors North Dakota with an index of 89 vs 103.

Explore These States

Florida Full Profile52.8 North Dakota Full Profile76.6 Compare Other States→

Data Sources

📎Bureau of Labor Statistics, LAUS (Dec 2025)📎U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2023 📎FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023 📎America's Health Rankings, 2025 📎WalletHub/NAEP, 2025 📎U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2024 📎Cook Political Report, PVI 2024 📎Tax Foundation, Facts & Figures 2025 📎ALEC Rich States Poor States, 2025 📎WalletHub Tax Burden Study, 2025 📎U.S. Census Bureau / FHFA, 2025 📎BEA Regional Price Parities, 2023 📎EPA AirData, Median AQI by County 2024 📎EIA State Electricity Profiles, 2024 📎FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, 2025 📎U.S. Census Bureau, Net Domestic Migration 2024 📎FCC / BroadbandNow, Broadband Access 2025 📎National Park Service API, 2024 📎USGS Protected Areas Database (PAD-US), 2024 📎U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2022 📎U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2023 (Commuting)📎FHWA Highway Statistics, 2023 📎U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2022 📎EIA State Electricity Profiles, 2024 📎EIA Natural Gas Prices, 2024 📎DOL National Database of Childcare Prices, 2023 📎BEA Regional Price Parities (Food), 2023 📎NCES Common Core of Data (CCD), 2023-24 📎EDFacts ACGR Graduation Rates, 2021-22 📎NCES School District Finance Survey (F-33), 2022-23 📎BEA GDP by State (SAGDP9), 2023 📎NASBO Fiscal Survey of States, FY2023 📎Census Bureau State Government Finances, FY2022 📎Pew Charitable Trusts Fiscal 50, FY2023 📎Pew Charitable Trusts, FY2022 📎S&P/Moody's via Ballotpedia, 2025 📎Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES (May 2023)📎IRS Statistics of Income, State-to-State Migration 2022-2023