If China were a US state
Where it would rank among 50 states + DC — median rank 9th
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Where it would rank among 50 states + DC — median rank 9th
Common questions
Across 13 measures of health, safety, money, education and the environment, China's median rank would be 9th on a list of the 50 states plus Washington, DC. It lands in the top half of that list on 9 of the 13 measures.
China's GDP per capita is $29,333, price-adjusted so states and countries sit on one scale. That would rank 52nd of 52 among the states — poorer than most US states. Source: World Bank (PPP), 2025. See the full ranking
People in China live 78 years on average — 0.9 years shorter than the US figure of 78.9 years. Among the states, China would rank 13th of 52. Source: World Bank / UN Population Division, 2024. See the full ranking
China's homicide rate is 0.5 per 100k — a lower rate than every US state. Ranked with the states on the lowest rate, it would come 1st of 52. Source: UNODC / WHO, 2020. See the full ranking
On the 16 measures with wide global coverage, China's median rank is 72nd out of roughly 190 countries (coverage varies by measure). Rank 1st means best in the world.
Compared with US states, China's strongest measure is lowest homicide rate: at 0.5 per 100k, it would rank 1st of 52. It does equally well on lowest gun deaths. Source: UNODC / WHO, 2020. See the full ranking
China's weakest showing is GDP per capita: $29,333 would rank 52nd of 52 — last place on the list. Source: World Bank (PPP), 2025. See the full ranking
China scores 6.07 / 10 for self-reported life satisfaction, ranking 67th of 162 countries worldwide. Source: World Happiness Report, 2025. See the full ranking
China has about 1,406.6 million people — more people than any US state. Dropped into the list of 50 states plus DC, it would rank 1st of 52 by population. Source: World Bank, 2025. See the full ranking