United States
Learn even more about the United States at oecd.orgDid you know?
| indicator | value | unit |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 311.6 | mil. |
| Visitors per year | 171.6 | mil. |
| Renewable energy | 6.3 | % |
How’s Life?
The United States performs well in many dimensions of well-being relative to other countries in the Better Life Index. The United States outperforms the average in income, jobs, education, environmental quality, social connections and life satisfaction. These assessments are based on available selected data.
Money, while it cannot buy happiness, is an important means to achieving higher living standards. In the United States, the average household net-adjusted disposable income per capita is USD 51 147 a year, much more than the OECD average of USD 30 490 a year.
In terms of employment, about 67% of people aged 15 to 64 in the United States have a paid job, slightly above the OECD employment average of 66%. Some 72% of men are in paid work, compared with 62% of women. In the United States, 10% of employees work very long hours in paid work, the same as the OECD average of 10%, with 14% of men working very long hours in paid work compared with 7% of women.
Good education and skills are important requisites for finding a job. In the United States, 92% of adults aged 25-64 have completed upper secondary education, higher than the OECD average of 79%. However, completion varies between men and women, as 91% of men have successfully completed high school compared with 92% of women. In terms of the quality of the education system, the average student scored 495 in reading literacy, maths and science in the OECD's Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). This score is higher than the OECD average of 488. On average in the United States, girls outperformed boys by 5 points, as the average OECD gap.
In terms of health, life expectancy at birth in the United States is around 79 years, two years lower than the OECD average of 81 years. Life expectancy for women is 81 years, compared with 76 for men. The level of atmospheric PM2.5 – tiny air pollutant particles small enough to enter and cause damage to the lungs – is 7.7 micrograms per cubic meter, below the OECD average of 14 micrograms per cubic meter. In the United States, 88% of people say they are satisfied with the quality of their water, higher than the OECD average of 84%.
Concerning the public sphere, there is a strong sense of community and moderate levels of civic participation in the United States, where 94% of people believe that they know someone they could rely on in time of need, more than the OECD average of 91%. Voter turnout, a measure of citizens' participation in the political process, was 65% during recent elections, lower than the OECD average of 69%. Social and economic status can affect voting rates; voter turnout for the top 20% of the population is an estimated 77% and for the bottom 20% it is an estimated 51%.
When asked to rate their general satisfaction with life on a scale from 0 to 10, Americans gave it a 7 grade on average, higher than the OECD average of 6.7.
For more information on estimates and years of reference, see FAQ section and BLI database.
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OECD in Action
OECD Economic Surveys: United States
OECD’s periodic surveys of the United States economy. Each edition surveys the major challenges faced by the country, evaluates the short-term outlook, and makes specific policy recommendations. Special chapters take a more detailed look at specific challenges. Extensive statistical information is included in charts and graphs.
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United States in Detail
Housing – United States expand
Key Findings
Living in satisfactory housing conditions is one of the most important aspects of people's lives. Housing is essential to meet basic needs, such as shelter, but it is not just a question of four walls and a roof. Housing should offer a place to sleep and rest where people feel safe and have privacy and personal space; somewhere they can raise a family. All of these elements help make a house a home. And of course there is the question whether people can afford adequate housing.
Housing costs take up a large share of the household budget and represent the largest single expenditure for many individuals and families, by the time you add up elements such as rent, gas, electricity, water, furniture or repairs. In the United States, households on average spend 18% of their gross adjusted disposable income on keeping a roof over their heads, below the OECD average of 20%.
In addition to housing costs it is also important to examine living conditions, such as the average number of rooms shared per person and whether households have access to basic facilities. The number of rooms in a dwelling, divided by the number of persons living there, indicates whether residents are living in crowded conditions. Overcrowded housing may have a negative impact on physical and mental health, relations with others and children’s development. In addition, dense living conditions are often a sign of inadequate water and sewage supply. In the United States, the average home contains 2.4 rooms per person, much more than the OECD average of 1.7 rooms per person. In terms of basic facilities, nearly every dwelling (99.9%) sampled in the United States contains private access to an indoor flushing toilet, more than the OECD average of 97%.
Better Policies for Better Lives
Social housing for the elderly
The number of seniors living in the United States is expected to double by 2030. Most elderly people living in rural areas live in single-family homes and have difficulty accessing appropriate health and social care services.
The government has introduced social housing for elderly people living in rural areas to help provide low- and middle-income seniors with adequate and affordable living conditions. The Housing and Development's (HUD) Section 202 programme provides low-income seniors with options for living independently while having access to needed support. Sponsors can access interest-free capital advances to develop supportive housing. Participating sponsors are not required to pay back these advances as long as they serve elderly low-income people for at least 40 years. The remaining cost of project-rental assistance that is not covered by tenant rents and HUD operating costs are covered through rental assistance funds.
The main success of the programme is that it allows the elderly maintain their independence by living in their own homes for longer than they would be able to otherwise. The recent drop in the number of units allocated through this programme should be reversed to continue supporting the needs of the ageing population.
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How's Life?: Measuring Well-beingIndicators
Income – United States expand
Key Findings
While money may not buy happiness, it is an important means to achieving higher living standards and thus greater well-being. Higher economic wealth may also improve access to quality education, health care and housing.
Household net adjusted disposable income is the amount of money that a household earns each year after taxes and transfers. It represents the money available to a household for spending on goods or services. In the United States, the average household net adjusted disposable income per capita is USD 51 147 a year, much higher than the OECD average of USD 30 490 and the highest figure in the OECD.
Household net wealth is the total value of a household's financial and non-financial worth, such as money or shares held in bank accounts, the principal residence, other real estate properties, vehicles, valuables and other non-financial assets (e.g other consumer durables). In the United States, the average household net wealth is estimated at USD 684 500, considerably higher than the OECD average of USD 323 960 and is one of the highest figures in the OECD.
For more information on estimates and years of reference, see FAQ section and BLI database.
Better Policies for Better Lives
Affordability index
Recognising that housing and transport costs account for almost half the average household's budget, the Location Affordability Index (LAI) provides estimates of the percentage of a family's income dedicated to the combined cost of housing and transport in a given location. Because what is "affordable" is different for everyone, users can choose among eight different family profiles, defined by household income, size and number of commuters, and see how affordable for them a particular neighbourhood, city or region would be.
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How's Life?: Measuring Well-beingIndicators
Jobs – United States expand
Key Findings
Having a job brings many important benefits, including: providing a source of income, improving social inclusion, fulfilling one's own aspirations, building self-esteem and developing skills and competencies. In the United States, about 67% of the working-age population aged 15 to 64 has a paid job. This figure is slightly higher than the OECD employment average of 66%.
Unemployed persons are defined as those who are not currently working but are willing to do so and actively searching for work. Long-term unemployment can have a large negative effect on feelings of well-being and self-worth and result in a loss of skills, further reducing employability. In the United States, the percentage of the labour force that has been unemployed for a year or longer is currently at 0.5%, much lower than the OECD average of 1.3%.
The wages and other monetary benefits that come with employment are an important aspect of job quality. People in the United States earn USD 69 392 per year on average, much more than the OECD average of USD 49 165 and the highest in the OECD.
Another essential factor of employment quality is job security, in terms of expected loss of earnings when someone becomes unemployed. This includes how likely you are to lose your job, how long you are likely to remain unemployed and how much financial assistance you can expect from government. Workers facing a high risk of job loss are more vulnerable, especially in countries with smaller social safety nets. In the United States, workers face an expected 4.2% loss of earnings if they become unemployed, lower than than the OECD average of 5.1%.
Better Policies for Better Lives
Developing skills
Employer Resource Networks (ERNs) are a good example of a work-based training programme that links skills development with labour market demand. These networks grew out of two separate employer-led initiatives involving about 2 000 local employers to reduce turnover among low-wage workers and help achieve a community initiative to reduce poverty. The primary focus of the services offered is job retention followed by skill building. These networks include businesses and their employees, public human services and workforce development agencies, private non-profits, United Ways, and community colleges and vocational training organisations, and local, regional and national foundations. Though services are targeted to entry-level and low-wage workers, they are open to all employees as needed. ERNs provide industry-specific as well as general job skills and soft skills training. ERN Success Coaches work with employees on-site and have been found to be key to ERN success thanks to their lower caseload (about one-third of that of a public case worker), ensuring their ability to provide immediate and direct counselling and referrals to employees.
For more information on estimates and years of reference, see FAQ section and BLI database
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How's Life?: Measuring Well-being OECD Job Quality DatabaseIndicators
Community – United States expand
Key Findings
Humans are social creatures. The frequency of our contact with others and the quality of our personal relationships are thus crucial determinants of our well-being.
A strong social network, or community, can provide emotional support during both good and bad times as well as provide access to jobs, services and other material opportunities. In the United States, 94% of people believe that they know someone they could rely on in a time of need, more than the OECD average of 91%.
A weak social network can result in limited economic opportunities, a lack of contact with others, and eventually, feelings of isolation. Socially isolated individuals face difficulties integrating into society as a contributing member and fulfilling personal aspirations.
Better Policies for Better Lives
Innovative housing solutions to foster intergenerational solidarity
Housing policies can encourage communal forms of living such as shared housing, or multi-generational housing. This in turn, can foster family interaction and intergenerational solidarity in the community.
MEDcottage is an innovative modular housing solution that enables older people to stay in the community or near family members. The cottage can be placed temporarily on the property of home-owners, connected to its electricity and water supply, and is equipped with the latest monitoring and ICT technologies. For example, sensors can detect falls and alert caregivers. This solution can facilitate family care and is intended to be an affordable alternative to care homes.
The state of Virginia has passed a bill to allow families to place mobile-care units on their property without requiring special permission. Encouraging this kind of private arrangement can take pressure off public care systems and nursing homes. It also matches the preference of many elderly people to age in their own homes or stay close to family without moving into their homes.
Building sustainable communities
The Partnership for Sustainable Communities co-ordinates investment from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Transportation and the Environmental Protection Agency in housing, transport and other infrastructure. Through improved collaboration the Partnership helps communities improve access to housing and transportation while protecting the environment.
The Partnership for Sustainable Communities developed the Smart Location Database and the Sustainable Communities Census HotReport to determine how well a community is performing on a variety of sustainability indicators. The Sustainable Communities Indicator Catalog was launched in 2015 to demonstrate relationships between land use, housing, transportation, health and the environment. These tools for data and analysis are available to anyone, allowing people to see how their community compares. To learn more: www.sustainablecommunities.gov/mission/about-us.
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How's Life?: Measuring Well-being OECD Insights: Human CapitalIndicators
Education – United States expand
Key Findings
A well-educated and well-trained population is essential for a country's social and economic well-being. Education plays a key role in providing individuals with the knowledge, skills and competences needed to participate effectively in society and in the economy. Having a good education greatly improves the likelihood of finding a job and earning enough money. People in the United States can expect to go through 17.3 years of education between the ages of 5 and 39, similar to the OECD average of 18 years.
Graduating from upper secondary education has become increasingly important in all countries, as the skills needed in the labour market are becoming more knowledge-based. High-school graduation rates therefore provide a good indication of whether a country is preparing its students to meet the minimum requirements of the job market. In the United States, 92% of adults aged 25-64 have completed upper secondary education, much higher than the OECD average of 79%.
But graduation rates, while important, speak little to the quality of education received. The OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) reviews the extent to which students have acquired some of the knowledge and skills that are essential for full participation in modern societies. In 2018, PISA focused on examining students' reading ability, skills in maths and level in sciences, as research shows that these skills are more reliable predictors of economic and social well-being than the number of years spent in school.
The average student in the United States scored 495 in reading literacy, maths and sciences, above than the OECD average of 488. The best-performing school systems manage to provide high-quality education to all students.
Better Policies for Better Lives
Cradle-to-career education
Harlem Children's Zone (HCZ) is a set of interventions that began in the late 1990s with the goal of improving outcomes for children in New York City's Harlem neighbourhood. HCZ seeks to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty for children and families in Central Harlem through a continuum of interventions that spans a child's life. Support begins with The Baby College, a series of workshops for parents of children ages zero to three. The Baby College GRADS, a newer home visitation initiative encourages involvement in the broader programme by offering enticements such as free childcare, a weekly raffle and free diapers or nappies. It continues with high-quality preschool programmes charter academies that serve the students across primary and secondary education population, after-school programming, social services, and health and community-building programmes.
Second chance for school drop-outs
YouthBuild USA is a "second chance" programme in the United States targeting 16-24 year-olds from low-income backgrounds who dropped out of school. It is an intensive programme (lasting 8 to 12 months) which provides construction-related training, educational services, counselling, and leadership development opportunities.
The programme has expanded rapidly over time, and there are currently 273 YouthBuild programmes in 46 states, Washington, DC, and the Virgin Islands engaging approximately 10 000 young adults per year. A detailed and rigorous evaluation of the programme is underway. Building on the success of the YouthBuild USA programmes, the model has been adapted and replicated around the world (YouthBuild International), including in Brazil, where the programme is targeted at youngsters aged 18-24 living in the underserved Complexo do Alemão, in Rio de Janeiro.
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How's Life?: Measuring Well-beingIndicators
Environment – United States expand
Key Findings
The quality of our local living environment has a direct impact on our health and well-being. Outdoor air pollution is one important environmental issue that directly affects the quality of people's lives. Despite national and international interventions and decreases in major pollutant emissions, the health impacts of urban air pollution continue to worsen, with air pollution set to become the top environmental cause of premature mortality globally by 2050. Air pollution in urban centres, often caused by transport and the use of small-scale burning of wood or coal, is linked to a range of health problems, from minor eye irritation to upper respiratory symptoms in the short-term and chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, cardiovascular diseases and lung cancer in the long-term. Children and the elderly may be particularly vulnerable.
PM2.5 – tiny particulate matter small enough to be inhaled into the deepest part of the lung – is monitored in OECD countries because it can harm human health and reduce life expectancy. In the United States, PM2.5 levels are 7.7 micrograms per cubic meter, lower than the OECD average of 14 micrograms per cubic meter and below the annual guideline limit of 10 micrograms per cubic meter set by the World Health Organization.
Access to clean water is fundamental to human well-being. Despite significant progress in OECD countries in reducing water pollution, improvements in freshwater quality are not always easy to discern. In the United States, 88% of people say they are satisfied with water quality, higher than the OECD average of 84%.
Better Policies for Better Lives
Protecting vulnerable cities
The Rebuild by Design competition was developed in the wake of Superstorm Sandy to spur innovative solutions to protect vulnerable cities from intense weather events. Proposed solutions had to be regionally-scalable and locally-contextual to increase resilience in the region. The competition framework encouraged design teams to invest more time and effort than would be found on the private market. A non-official analysis suggests the Rebuild by Design process leveraged five times the work than what was paid for.
Design teams formed local coalitions to develop fundable, implementable solutions that will inform new policy. This model has since created a network of 535 organisations in the Sandy region, 64 communities, 141 neighbourhoods and cities, and 181 government agencies dedicated to the implementation of projects emerging from the competition. Rebuild by Design continues to work with partners to build out the network to do research, develop case studies, exemplary projects, school programmes and competitions. The competition was named one of CNN’s Best Ideas of 2013.
Re-using contaminated land for renewable energy
The US government promotes renewable energy development (solar panels, wind turbines) on current and formerly contaminated land, landfills and mine sites when such development is aligned with the community's vision for the sites. RE-Powering America's Land Initiative (launched in 2008) bolsters the market for blighted land, diminishes development pressures on open space and promotes renewable energy as an alternative to traditional fossil-fuel power generation. Through reuse of these sites, communities can transform vacant, underutilised or blighted properties, and realise environmental, economic and social benefits. RE-Powering's innovative approach has provided tools, technical assistance and outreach to communities, local and tribal governments, and other stakeholders involved in the remediation of contaminated lands and the development of renewable energy.
Although difficult to directly attribute to the initiative, the number of installations of renewable energy on contaminated lands has increased substantially over the last 5 years where now 73 projects providing over 200 MW of capacity are installed.
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How's Life?: Measuring Well-being OECD Environmental Outlook to 2050Indicators
Governance – United States expand
Key Findings
Trust in government is essential for social cohesion and well-being. High voter turnout is a measure of citizens' participation in the political process. In the most recent elections for which data are available, voter turnout in the United States was 65% of those registered. This figure is lower than the OECD average of 69%.
Broader public engagement in the decision-making process is also important for holding the government to account and maintaining confidence in public institutions. The formal process for public engagement in developing laws and regulations is one way to measure the extent to which people can become involved in government decisions on key issues that affect their lives. In the United States, the level of stakeholder engagement in developing regulations is 3.1 (on a scale between 0 and 4), one of the highest levels in the OECD, where the average is 2.1.
Footnote for the United States:
As the US executive does not initiate primary laws at all, the results presented for the United States in stakeholder engagement for developing regulations refer to practices in place for the development of subordinate regulations only.
For more information on estimates and years of reference, see FAQ section and BLI database.
Footnote for the United States:
As the US executive does not initiate primary laws at all, the results presented for the United States in stakeholder engagement for developing regulations refer to practices in place for the development of subordinate regulations only.
For more information on estimates and years of reference, see FAQ section and BLI database.
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How's Life?: Measuring Well-being Regulatory Policy Outlook: United StatesIndicators
Health – United States expand
Key Findings
Most OECD countries have enjoyed large gains in life expectancy over the past decades, thanks to improvements in living conditions, public health interventions and progress in medical care. Life expectancy at birth in the United States stands at almost 79 years, two years below the average of 81 years. Higher life expectancy is generally associated with higher health care spending per person, although many other factors have an impact on life expectancy (such as living standards, lifestyles, education and environmental factors).
When asked "How is your health in general?" 88% of people in the United States reported to be in good health, much more than the OECD average of 68% and one of the highest scores across the OECD. Despite the subjective nature of this question, answers have been found to be a good predictor of people’s future health care use. Gender, age and social status may affect answers to this question.
Better Policies for Better Lives
Mental health at work
Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) offer employees confidential services to help them overcome personal problems that affect their work performance. EAPs give employees access to services and referrals for mental health, addictions, and family counselling; wellness and health promotion; and work-related supports such as career counselling. Typically these services are available 24 hours a day and family members can also benefit from these services. Managers are encouraged to learn how to handle mental ill-health effects on productivity, sickness absence, stress and addictions in the workplace. EAPs are mandatory for federal agencies while private sector coverage is around 65% among companies with more than 100 employees. Evaluations show a decrease in absenteeism, greater employee retention, and significantly reduced medical costs related to early interventions in mental health issues.
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How's Life?: Measuring Well-beingIndicators
Life Satisfaction – United States expand
Key Findings
Happiness or subjective well-being can be measured in terms of life satisfaction, the presence of positive experiences and feelings, and the absence of negative experiences and feelings. Such measures, while subjective, are a useful complement to objective data to compare the quality of life across countries.
Life satisfaction measures how people evaluate their life as a whole rather than their current feelings. When asked to rate their general satisfaction with life on a scale from 0 to 10, people in the United States on average gave it a 7 grade, higher than the OECD average of 6.7.
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How's Life?: Measuring Well-beingIndicators
Safety – United States expand
Key Findings
Personal security is a core element for the well-being of individuals. Do you feel safe out walking, alone at night, for example? In the United States, 78% of people say that they feel safe walking alone at night, more than the OECD average of 74%.
The homicide rate (the number of murders per 100 000 inhabitants) is a more reliable measure of a country's safety level because, unlike other crimes, murders are usually always reported to the police. According to the latest OECD data, the United States' homicide rate is 6, higher than the OECD average of 2.6.
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How's Life?: Measuring Well-beingIndicators
Work-Life Balance – United States expand
Key Findings
Finding a suitable balance between work and life is a challenge for all workers, especially working parents. The ability to successfully combine work, family commitments and personal life is important for the well-being of all members in a household. Governments can help to address the issue by encouraging supportive and flexible working practices, making it easier for parents to strike a better balance between work and home life.
An important aspect of work-life balance is the amount of time a person spends at work. Evidence suggests that long work hours may impair personal health, jeopardise safety and increase stress. In the United States, some 10% of employees work very long hours, in line with the OECD average.
The more people work, the less time they have to spend on other activities, such as time with others, leisure activities, eating or sleeping. The amount and quality of leisure time is important for people's overall well-being, and can bring additional physical and mental health benefits. In the United States, full-time workers devote 61% of their day on average, or 14.6 hours, to personal care (eating, sleeping, etc.) and leisure (socialising with friends and family, hobbies, games, computer and television use, etc.) – less than the OECD average of 15 hours.
Better Policies for Better Lives
Reducing poverty among working families
OECD analysis suggests that the US could help working families to reduce poverty rates by strengthening services and benefits for children in their early years, including legislating for paid parental leave, and building on the successes of child education and care services, such as the Headstart programme and various state-level programmes.
In the US, total public spending on child welfare and education is USD 160 000 up to the age of 18, above the OECD average of USD 149 000. But the US starts spending relatively late, spending the most money on public compulsory education. This means early investment – including childcare and support for families around the time of birth – could be strengthened.
The US, for example, is the only OECD country without a national paid parental leave policy, although three states do provide leave payments. At the federal level, the available (unpaid) parental leave is short (12 weeks), and only covers some employees (those in companies with 50+ workers). While the implementation of a national paid leave program could entail some indirect costs for employers (e.g. temporarily replacing new parents on the job), it is more likely that such a scheme would be funded by employee contributions, as this is what happens at the state level. The pay-offs to paid leave are significant: there are benefits not only to child well-being but also to the labour market, as evidence suggests that when US mothers can access a leave entitlement, they are more likely to return to work than mothers who do not.
Mothers' return to work is important, as in the US economic stability is strongly linked to employment. A significant proportion of public family support is delivered via tax breaks and credits (45% of total, compared to 10% on average in the OECD). Nevertheless female employment in the US has been falling for the last decade, albeit from high levels. This fall is happening despite US women having better career prospects compared to most other OECD countries (35% of management jobs occupied by women), relatively high levels of education, and lower career costs associated with child-rearing (where mothers earn over 80% of non-mothers' earnings over a working life). The case for paid parental leave – and a new mother's job security – is compelling.