Pennsylvania vs West Virginia
Pennsylvania comes out ahead of West Virginia on 476 of 798 statistics where one end is better, to 301 with 21 ties. Pennsylvania leads on Education, Facts & Trivia and Sports and 8 more categories. West Virginia leads on Agriculture, Crime & Safety and Politics & Government and 1 more category.
798 statistics with a better end, compared
Each counts once for the place that ranks better; 21 ties. Totals that mostly track population are left out.
- Wins
- 476
- Avg. percentile
- 51
- Categories led
- 11
- Wins
- 301
- Avg. percentile
- 39
- Categories led
- 4
At a glance
Headline statistics, each ranked among all US states.
| Statistic | Pennsylvania | West Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 13,073,016 5th of 51 | 1,764,892 39th of 51 |
| Median Household IncomeHousing, Income and Commutes by State (Census) | $77,971 24th of 51 | $59,608 50th of 51 |
| Unemployment Rate (%)Unemployment Rate by State (BLS) | 4.3% tied 33rd of 51 | 4.2% tied 30th of 51 |
| Poverty Rate (%)Housing, Income and Commutes by State (Census) | 11.7% 25th of 51 | 16.7% 48th of 51 |
| Price Level (All Items)Cost of Living by State (Regional Price Parities) | 97.6 28th of 51 | 89.5 9th of 51 |
| Real Personal Income per Person (2017 Dollars)Real Personal Income by State | $58,620 24th of 51 | $50,051 50th of 51 |
| Average Annual Wage, All JobsAverage Wage by State (BLS) | $65,730 25th of 51 | $56,470 49th of 51 |
| Median Rent (Monthly, Capped at $3,501)Housing, Income and Commutes by State (Census) | $1,209 24th of 51 | $872 1st of 51 |
| Violent Crime Rate (per 100K)Crime Rates by State (FBI) | 226.8 14th of 51 | 241.7 20th of 51 |
| Heating Degree Days per YearClimate by State (1991–2020 Averages) | 5,700 28th of 48 | 5,067 22nd of 48 |
By category
Average percentile on each category's widely ranked statistics.
- EducationPennsylvania · 51 statistics
- Facts & TriviaPennsylvania · 18 statistics
- SportsPennsylvania · 17 statistics
- HealthPennsylvania · 186 statistics
- CulturePennsylvania · 79 statistics
- PopulationPennsylvania · 120 statistics
- Tech & BusinessPennsylvania · 48 statistics
- EnvironmentPennsylvania · 39 statistics
- EconomicsPennsylvania · 299 statistics
- GeographyPennsylvania · 25 statistics
- LawPennsylvania · 69 statistics
- AgricultureWest Virginia · 17 statistics
- Crime & SafetyWest Virginia · 71 statistics
- Politics & GovernmentWest Virginia · 126 statistics
- Infrastructure & EnergyWest Virginia · 36 statistics
- TravelEven · 29 statistics
Biggest differences
The 30 statistics where their rankings differ most, among rankings of at least 26 US states.
| Statistic | Pennsylvania | West Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| LPC Application FeeLPC Requirements by State | $45.00 2nd of 49 | $250 tied 44th of 49 |
| Combined 7 SeriesVaccination Rates by State | 77.1% 6th of 51 | 64.8% 49th of 51 |
| InterstateAccidents 2018-2022Jaywalking Laws By State | 3.67% 2nd of 42 | 21.1% 37th of 42 |
| Lowest- Cost Bronze Premium (Avg)Obamacare Prices by State | $364 tied 6th of 51 | $775 49th of 51 |
| Lake Surface Area (mi)Bass Fishing by State | 9,910 tied 1st of 50 | 4.1 tied 43rd of 50 |
| Lowest- Cost Gold Premium (Avg)Obamacare Prices by State | $478 6th of 51 | $961 48th of 51 |
| MMRVaccination Rates by State | 94.6% 3rd of 51 | 89.2% 45th of 51 |
| Social and Civic Racial Progress RankLeast Racist States | 8th 8th of 51 | 50th 50th of 51 |
| Costs RankFarming-Friendly States | 42nd 42nd of 50 | 1st 1st of 50 |
| Lake Surface Area (acres)Bass Fishing by State | 6,342,400 tied 1st of 50 | 2,650 43rd of 50 |
| 10th Percentile WageTeacher Pay by State | $48,930 9th of 51 | $37,590 50th of 51 |
| Quality of LifeWorst States to Retire | 48th 3rd best of 50 | 8th 8th worst of 50 |
| Average Student Loan DebtDebt by State | $6,450 46th of 51 | $4,240 6th of 51 |
| Family FunBest States to Raise a Family | 11th 11th of 50 | 50th 50th of 50 |
| Health CareBest States to Live In | 11th 10th of 49 | 49th 48th of 49 |
| Mitigation Efforts RankFood Waste by State | 42nd 9th best of 50 | 4th 4th worst of 50 |
| Police Pensions Avg. Annual PayPolice Pensions by State | $60,774 9th of 50 | $46,937 47th of 50 |
| Healthcare RankWorst States to Live in | 40th 11th best of 50 | 2nd 2nd worst of 50 |
| 25th Percentile WageTeacher Pay by State | $60,260 11th of 51 | $43,900 49th of 51 |
| Median Teacher SalaryTeacher Pay by State | $75,940 11th of 51 | $48,170 49th of 51 |
| 1996-2022 Change Adjusted For InflationTANF Benefits by State | -45.0% tied 4th of 48 | 18.0% 45th of 48 |
| Worst States to Retire - HealthcareWorst States to Retire | 39th 12th best of 50 | 2nd 2nd worst of 50 |
| 75th Percentile WageTeacher Pay by State | $81,520 13th of 51 | $57,460 50th of 51 |
| Livability RankDisability Benefits by State | 1st 1st of 51 | 38th 38th of 51 |
| Police Officer Avg Annual SalaryPolice Officer Salary by State | $86,350 10th of 50 | $54,570 46th of 50 |
| Household Income DiversityMost Diverse US States | 14th 13th of 50 | 49th 49th of 50 |
| Attractive People RankMost Attractive States | 12th 12th of 49 | 48th 47th of 49 |
| Renewable Energy IncentivesOff-Grid Living Legal States | 61 tied 14th of 50 | 8 50th of 50 |
| Average EarningsLawyer-Friendly States | $138,610 12th of 48 | $98,360 46th of 48 |
| Average Auto Loan DebtDebt by State | $4,850 11th of 51 | $6,650 47th of 51 |
Quick answers
- Which is better, Pennsylvania or West Virginia?
- Pennsylvania comes out ahead of West Virginia on 476 of 798 statistics where one end is better, to 301 with 21 ties. Pennsylvania leads on Education, Facts & Trivia and Sports and 8 more categories. West Virginia leads on Agriculture, Crime & Safety and Politics & Government and 1 more category. Statistics where neither end is better, and totals that mostly track population, are not counted.
- Which has more people, Pennsylvania or West Virginia?
- Pennsylvania has a population of 13,073,016 (5th of 51 US states) and West Virginia has 1,764,892 (39th of 51).
- How do Pennsylvania and West Virginia compare on Median Household Income?
- Median Household Income: Pennsylvania $77,971 (24th of 51), West Virginia $59,608 (50th of 51) among US states. Pennsylvania ranks better.
- How do Pennsylvania and West Virginia compare on Unemployment Rate (%)?
- Unemployment Rate (%): Pennsylvania 4.3% (tied 33rd of 51), West Virginia 4.2% (tied 30th of 51) among US states. West Virginia ranks better.
- Where does Pennsylvania beat West Virginia most clearly?
- Pennsylvania ranks far ahead on LPC Application Fee (LPC Requirements by State): $45.00 vs $250; Combined 7 Series (Vaccination Rates by State): 77.1% vs 64.8%; InterstateAccidents 2018-2022 (Jaywalking Laws By State): 3.67% vs 21.1%.
- Where does West Virginia beat Pennsylvania most clearly?
- West Virginia ranks far ahead on Costs Rank (Farming-Friendly States): 1st vs 42nd; Average Student Loan Debt (Debt by State): $4,240 vs $6,450.
More matchups
Other comparisons with Pennsylvania or West Virginia.
- Alabama vs Pennsylvania
- Alaska vs Pennsylvania
- Arizona vs Pennsylvania
- Arkansas vs Pennsylvania
- California vs Pennsylvania
- Colorado vs Pennsylvania
- Connecticut vs Pennsylvania
- Delaware vs Pennsylvania
- Alabama vs West Virginia
- Alaska vs West Virginia
- Arizona vs West Virginia
- Arkansas vs West Virginia
- California vs West Virginia
- Colorado vs West Virginia
- Connecticut vs West Virginia
- Delaware vs West Virginia