Ranking Countries

GBR · Europe · refreshed Aug 10, 2026

If the United Kingdom were a US state

It would sit in the top half on 20 of 29 measures — and come first on 9 of them.

Map showing where United Kingdom is in the world
8th
median, of 52
38th
median, world
9
first places
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Who leads the world

Countries that rank like United Kingdom

Head to head: United Kingdom vs the United States, measure by measure · or against Germany.

From the blog: Why the UK has no incarceration number · How representative are country rankings?

All 68 measures →Every country ranked →Every US state →All the Top 10s →The overall board →How we read the data →

Common questions

Questions people ask about the United Kingdom

If the United Kingdom were a US state, how would it rank?

Across 29 measures of health, safety, money, education and the environment, the United Kingdom's median rank would be 8th on a list of the 50 states plus Washington, DC. It lands in the top half of that list on 20 of the 29 measures.

Is the United Kingdom richer than the average US state?

The United Kingdom's GDP per capita is $64,606, price-adjusted so states and countries sit on one scale. That would rank 51st of 52 among the states — poorer than most US states. Source: World Bank (PPP), 2025. See the full ranking

What is life expectancy in the United Kingdom vs the US?

People in the United Kingdom live 81.4 years on average — 2.5 years longer than the US figure of 78.9 years. Among the states, the United Kingdom would rank 1st of 52. Source: World Bank / UN Population Division, 2024. See the full ranking

How safe is the United Kingdom compared to US states?

The United Kingdom's homicide rate is 1.1 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, 2021. See the full ranking

Where does the United Kingdom rank in the world?

On the 30 measures with wide global coverage, the United Kingdom's median rank is 38th out of roughly 190 countries (coverage varies by measure). Rank 1st means best in the world.

What is the United Kingdom best at?

Compared with US states, the United Kingdom's strongest measure is life expectancy: at 81.4 years, it would rank 1st of 52. It does equally well on lowest homicide rate. Source: World Bank / UN Population Division, 2024. See the full ranking

What is the United Kingdom weakest at?

The United Kingdom's weakest showing is lowest 2-bedroom rent: 3,446 $/month would rank 52nd of 52 — last place on the list. Source: Eurostat (capital-city rents), 2025. See the full ranking

How happy are people in the United Kingdom?

The United Kingdom scores 6.69 / 10 for self-reported life satisfaction, ranking 29th of 162 countries worldwide. Source: World Happiness Report, 2025. See the full ranking

How big is the United Kingdom compared to a US state?

The United Kingdom has about 69.5 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