How Mississippi Compares to Countries Around the World
Mississippi is often considered one of the poorest and least economically developed U.S. states. It frequently ranks at or near the bottom for life expectancy, income, human development, etc.
In 2021-2022, Mississippi’s average life expectancy was 70.9 years. According to global data, that’s lower than the life expectancy in most countries. Only a cluster of mostly African nations and a few in Asia – such as Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Nepal, Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia -have lower life expectancy than Mississippi.
Mississippi’s HDI is around 0.866 (2023). Internationally, that qualifies as “very high,” but many countries exceed it. Canada (0.939), Australia (0.958), Germany (0.959) and much of Europe are well above.
On GDP per capita (nominal), Mississippi sits at about $53,061 in 2024, the lowest among all U.S. states. Globally, that’s higher than many countries, but well below others like Canada, Germany, the UK, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Australia, and New Zealand.
Within the U.S., Mississippi ranks last on many indicators. But compared globally, its numbers are still ahead of a large share of the world, while still lagging behind Canada, many European countries, Australia, and New Zealand.
