

North Carolina vs Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania comes out ahead of North Carolina on 409 of 805 statistics where one end is better, to 373 with 23 ties. North Carolina leads on Agriculture, Geography and Travel and 4 more categories. Pennsylvania leads on Education, Tech & Business and Culture and 6 more categories.
805 statistics with a better end, compared
Each counts once for the place that ranks better; 23 ties. Totals that mostly track population are left out.
- Wins
- 373
- Avg. percentile
- 49
- Categories led
- 7
- Wins
- 409
- Avg. percentile
- 51
- Categories led
- 9
At a glance
Headline statistics, each ranked among all US states.
| Statistic | North Carolina | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,343,875 9th of 51 | 13,073,016 5th of 51 |
| Median Household IncomeHousing, Income and Commutes by State (Census) | $72,388 38th of 51 | $77,971 24th of 51 |
| Unemployment Rate (%)Unemployment Rate by State (BLS) | 3.8% tied 20th of 51 | 4.3% tied 33rd of 51 |
| Poverty Rate (%)Housing, Income and Commutes by State (Census) | 13.0% 35th of 51 | 11.7% 25th of 51 |
| Price Level (All Items)Cost of Living by State (Regional Price Parities) | 94.3 21st of 51 | 97.6 28th of 51 |
| Real Personal Income per Person (2017 Dollars)Real Personal Income by State | $56,310 33rd of 51 | $58,620 24th of 51 |
| Average Annual Wage, All JobsAverage Wage by State (BLS) | $64,290 29th of 51 | $65,730 25th of 51 |
| Median Rent (Monthly, Capped at $3,501)Housing, Income and Commutes by State (Census) | $1,228 25th of 51 | $1,209 24th of 51 |
| Violent Crime Rate (per 100K)Crime Rates by State (FBI) | 330.3 30th of 51 | 226.8 14th of 51 |
| Heating Degree Days per YearClimate by State (1991–2020 Averages) | 3,359 10th of 48 | 5,700 28th of 48 |
By category
Average percentile on each category's widely ranked statistics.
- EducationPennsylvania · 51 statistics
- Tech & BusinessPennsylvania · 48 statistics
- AgricultureNorth Carolina · 17 statistics
- GeographyNorth Carolina · 25 statistics
- TravelNorth Carolina · 28 statistics
- SportsNorth Carolina · 17 statistics
- Crime & SafetyNorth Carolina · 74 statistics
- CulturePennsylvania · 79 statistics
- Facts & TriviaPennsylvania · 18 statistics
- EconomicsPennsylvania · 300 statistics
- Infrastructure & EnergyNorth Carolina · 36 statistics
- EnvironmentPennsylvania · 40 statistics
- PopulationPennsylvania · 120 statistics
- LawNorth Carolina · 70 statistics
- HealthPennsylvania · 187 statistics
- Politics & GovernmentPennsylvania · 125 statistics
Biggest differences
The 30 statistics where their rankings differ most, among rankings of at least 26 US states.
| Statistic | North Carolina | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum Annual SalaryIBEW Pay Scale by State | $67,660 47th of 51 | $141,940 3rd of 51 |
| Best States for Living with a Disability - Total ScoreDisability Benefits by State | 42.21 49th of 51 | 56.36 6th of 51 |
| LPC Application FeeLPC Requirements by State | $238 43rd of 49 | $45.00 2nd of 49 |
| State Rank State GovtPublic Land by State | 46th 45th of 49 | 5th 4th of 49 |
| MinimumCorporate Tax Rates by State | 2.25% 3rd of 44 | 7.99% 37th of 44 |
| Food and Health Support RankBest States to Be Homeless | 44th 44th of 50 | 6th 6th of 50 |
| SSI Political Financing ScoreMost Corrupt States | 75.3 5th of 50 | 41.1 43rd of 50 |
| Crime Cost per CapitaMost Dangerous Cities by State | $381 6th of 45 | $2,240 40th of 45 |
| 90th Percentile WageTeacher Pay by State | $62,000 50th of 51 | $101,220 12th of 51 |
| Corporate Tax RankBest State To Incorporate In | 5th 5th of 51 | 42nd 43rd of 51 |
| K-12 Spending as % of Taxpayer IncomePer Pupil Spending by State | 2.51% 47th of 51 | 3.88% 9th of 51 |
| Livability RankDisability Benefits by State | 39th 39th of 51 | 1st 1st of 51 |
| 10th Percentile WageTeacher Pay by State | $38,650 46th of 51 | $48,930 9th of 51 |
| Burglary Rate (per 100K)Crime Rates by State (FBI) | 303.9 46th of 51 | 104.5 9th of 51 |
| Electrician Mean Hourly Wage 2023Electrician Salary by State | $25.78 49th of 51 | $35.15 12th of 51 |
| Electrician Mean Yearly Wage 2023Electrician Salary by State | $53,610 49th of 51 | $73,100 12th of 51 |
| Median Teacher SalaryTeacher Pay by State | $48,980 48th of 51 | $75,940 11th of 51 |
| Registration FeeCar Registration Fees by State | $370 44th of 50 | $39.00 8th of 50 |
| 25th Percentile WageTeacher Pay by State | $46,440 47th of 51 | $60,260 11th of 51 |
| Teacher's Union Rank (1=Strongest)States with Teacher Unions | 40th 40th of 51 | 4th 4th of 51 |
| Annual SalaryFirefighter Salary by State | $34,464 50th of 50 | $46,749 15th of 50 |
| Hourly WageFirefighter Salary by State | $16.57 50th of 50 | $22.48 15th of 50 |
| Minimum CostBreast Augmentation Cost by State | $3,500 tied 2nd of 50 | $5,000 tied 33rd of 50 |
| Monthly PayFirefighter Salary by State | $2,872 50th of 50 | $3,895 15th of 50 |
| School Funding and ResourcesPublic School Rankings by State | 42nd 42nd of 50 | 7th 7th of 50 |
| SSI Public Access to Information ScoreMost Corrupt States | 35.6 39th of 50 | 67.8 4th of 50 |
| Weekly PayFirefighter Salary by State | $662 50th of 50 | $899 15th of 50 |
| Estiamted Incidents per 100k PopSnake Bite Statistics by State | 18.79 48th of 48 | 0.75 15th of 48 |
| 75th Percentile WageTeacher Pay by State | $59,250 48th of 51 | $81,520 13th of 51 |
| Overall Homelessness Help ScoreBest States to Be Homeless | 35.06 45th of 50 | 53.82 11th of 50 |
Quick answers
- Which is better, North Carolina or Pennsylvania?
- Pennsylvania comes out ahead of North Carolina on 409 of 805 statistics where one end is better, to 373 with 23 ties. North Carolina leads on Agriculture, Geography and Travel and 4 more categories. Pennsylvania leads on Education, Tech & Business and Culture and 6 more categories. Statistics where neither end is better, and totals that mostly track population, are not counted.
- Which has more people, North Carolina or Pennsylvania?
- North Carolina has a population of 11,343,875 (9th of 51 US states) and Pennsylvania has 13,073,016 (5th of 51).
- How do North Carolina and Pennsylvania compare on Median Household Income?
- Median Household Income: North Carolina $72,388 (38th of 51), Pennsylvania $77,971 (24th of 51) among US states. Pennsylvania ranks better.
- How do North Carolina and Pennsylvania compare on Unemployment Rate (%)?
- Unemployment Rate (%): North Carolina 3.8% (tied 20th of 51), Pennsylvania 4.3% (tied 33rd of 51) among US states. North Carolina ranks better.
- Where does North Carolina beat Pennsylvania most clearly?
- North Carolina ranks far ahead on Minimum (Corporate Tax Rates by State): 2.25% vs 7.99%; SSI Political Financing Score (Most Corrupt States): 75.3 vs 41.1; Crime Cost per Capita (Most Dangerous Cities by State): $381 vs $2,240.
- Where does Pennsylvania beat North Carolina most clearly?
- Pennsylvania ranks far ahead on Maximum Annual Salary (IBEW Pay Scale by State): $141,940 vs $67,660; Best States for Living with a Disability - Total Score (Disability Benefits by State): 56.36 vs 42.21; LPC Application Fee (LPC Requirements by State): $45.00 vs $238.
More matchups
Other comparisons with North Carolina or Pennsylvania.
- Alabama vs North Carolina
- Alaska vs North Carolina
- Arizona vs North Carolina
- Arkansas vs North Carolina
- California vs North Carolina
- Colorado vs North Carolina
- Connecticut vs North Carolina
- Delaware vs North Carolina
- Alabama vs Pennsylvania
- Alaska vs Pennsylvania
- Arizona vs Pennsylvania
- Arkansas vs Pennsylvania
- California vs Pennsylvania
- Colorado vs Pennsylvania
- Connecticut vs Pennsylvania
- Delaware vs Pennsylvania