The record · Sources
Sources & methods
We never invent numbers. Every value on this site comes from an official published dataset — linked below, with how and when it was last refreshed. Weekly sources are pulled straight from the publisher; the rest update when the publisher ships a new edition.
How well the two sides compare
A — measured the same way on both sides. B (†) — small differences; the rank is still a fair guide. C (‡) — measured quite differently; treat the rank as a rough guide. The grade and its note appear on every row where a measure is used.
Life expectancygrade A
217 countries · 51 states · refreshed Aug 8, 2026- Countries:
- World Bank / UN Population Division (refreshed weekly)
- US states:
- CDC NCHS (refreshed weekly)
- Caveat:
- Both use period life tables; state and country data years may differ slightly.
Homicide rategrade A
195 countries · 51 states · refreshed Aug 8, 2026- Countries:
- UNODC / WHO (refreshed weekly)
- US states:
- CDC WONDER (assault mortality) (refreshed weekly)
- Caveat:
- State figures use cause-of-death coding (ICD-10 X85–Y09), the same vital-registration basis most international figures rest on.
Gun deathsgrade B
204 countries · 51 states · refreshed Aug 8, 2026- Countries:
- IHME Global Burden of Disease (updated per edition)
- US states:
- CDC WONDER (firearm mortality) (refreshed weekly)
- Caveat:
- US figures come from complete death registration; some countries' figures are modeled estimates.
Incarceration rategrade B
222 countries · 50 states · refreshed Aug 8, 2026- Countries:
- UNODC (prisons & prisoners) (refreshed weekly)
- US states:
- Bureau of Justice Statistics (updated per edition)
- Caveat:
- State figures count state prisons; international totals may include jails and remand. Scope is matched where possible.
Health coveragegrade B
44 countries · 51 states · refreshed Aug 8, 2026- Countries:
- OECD (refreshed weekly)
- US states:
- US Census Bureau SAHIE (refreshed weekly)
- Caveat:
- Most OECD countries have universal statutory coverage by definition; US state figures measure insured share.
Paid maternity leavegrade B
43 countries · 51 states · refreshed Aug 8, 2026- Countries:
- OECD Family Database (PF2.1) (refreshed weekly)
- US states:
- Curated from state PFL statutes (updated per edition)
- Caveat:
- Policy facts, not survey data. Most US states have no statutory paid leave; ~13 states and DC do.
Statutory paid holidaygrade A
44 countries · 51 states · refreshed Aug 8, 2026- Countries:
- OECD / national statutes (updated per edition)
- US states:
- No US state mandates paid annual leave (0 days) (updated per edition)
- Caveat:
- Every US state is 0 by statute — any country with a mandate ranks 1st. That is the honest comparison.
Years in educationgrade A
195 countries · 0 states · refreshed Aug 8, 2026- Countries:
- UNDP Human Development Report (refreshed weekly)
- Caveat:
- Country figures only — the subnational (US state) series isn't wired up yet, so this measure doesn't appear in state comparisons.
Road deathsgrade B
196 countries · 51 states · refreshed Aug 8, 2026- Countries:
- WHO Global Health Observatory (refreshed weekly)
- US states:
- NHTSA FARS (refreshed weekly)
- Caveat:
- FARS counts deaths within 30 days of a crash, matching the WHO reporting convention for most countries. Country figures come from WHO's 2021 estimating round; earlier years in the trend are WHO's previous round, so a country can step between 2019 and 2021 from re-estimation as well as real change.
Drug deathsgrade C
36 countries · 51 states · refreshed Aug 8, 2026- Countries:
- IHME / UNODC (updated per edition)
- US states:
- CDC VSRR / WONDER (refreshed weekly)
- Caveat:
- The US codes overdose deaths more completely than almost anywhere. Part of the US's high figures reflects better measurement.
Minimum wagegrade B
36 countries · 51 states · refreshed Aug 8, 2026- Countries:
- OECD (real minimum wages) (refreshed weekly)
- US states:
- Curated from state statutes (DOL) (updated per edition)
- Caveat:
- Country figures are PPP-adjusted; state figures are nominal USD. Within-US price differences are not applied to wages.
Pupil performancegrade C
80 countries · 0 states · refreshed Aug 8, 2026- Countries:
- OECD PISA (updated per edition)
- Caveat:
- PISA scores only — no US state figures yet, so this measure doesn't appear in state comparisons.
Adult literacygrade C
31 countries · 0 states · refreshed Aug 10, 2026- Countries:
- OECD Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC) (refreshed weekly)
- Caveat:
- 31 countries and economies only — PIAAC has no US state figures, so this measure doesn't appear in state comparisons. The UK row is England and the Belgium row is Flanders, the areas PIAAC surveyed. Each year shown is that survey round's published headline, so the change between 2012 and 2023 runs slightly larger than the OECD's own like-for-like comparison. Poland's 2023 sample had a low response rate.
Adult numeracygrade C
31 countries · 0 states · refreshed Aug 10, 2026- Countries:
- OECD Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC) (refreshed weekly)
- Caveat:
- 31 countries and economies only — PIAAC has no US state figures, so this measure doesn't appear in state comparisons. The UK row is England and the Belgium row is Flanders, the areas PIAAC surveyed. Each year shown is that survey round's published headline, so the change between 2012 and 2023 runs slightly larger than the OECD's own like-for-like comparison. Poland's 2023 sample had a low response rate.
Adults with weak literacygrade C
31 countries · 0 states · refreshed Aug 10, 2026- Countries:
- OECD Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC) (refreshed weekly)
- Caveat:
- 31 countries and economies only — PIAAC has no US state figures, so this measure doesn't appear in state comparisons. The UK row is England and the Belgium row is Flanders, the areas PIAAC surveyed. Each year shown is that survey round's published headline, so the change between 2012 and 2023 runs slightly larger than the OECD's own like-for-like comparison.
Adults with weak numeracygrade C
31 countries · 0 states · refreshed Aug 10, 2026- Countries:
- OECD Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC) (refreshed weekly)
- Caveat:
- 31 countries and economies only — PIAAC has no US state figures, so this measure doesn't appear in state comparisons. The UK row is England and the Belgium row is Flanders, the areas PIAAC surveyed. Each year shown is that survey round's published headline, so the change between 2012 and 2023 runs slightly larger than the OECD's own like-for-like comparison.
Environmental performancegrade C
177 countries · 0 states · refreshed Aug 8, 2026- Countries:
- Yale Environmental Performance Index (updated per edition)
- Caveat:
- Country scores only — no state-level EPI exists, so this measure doesn't appear in state comparisons.
Human development indexgrade A
193 countries · 0 states · refreshed Aug 8, 2026- Countries:
- UNDP Human Development Report (refreshed weekly)
- Caveat:
- Country HDI only — the subnational (US state) series isn't wired up yet, so this measure doesn't appear in state comparisons.
Obesitygrade C
199 countries · 51 states · refreshed Aug 8, 2026- Countries:
- WHO Global Health Observatory (refreshed weekly)
- US states:
- CDC BRFSS (refreshed weekly)
- Caveat:
- State figures are self-reported (which understates obesity); WHO country figures are measured or modeled. State ranks flatter the states.
GDP per capitagrade B
203 countries · 51 states · refreshed Aug 8, 2026- Countries:
- World Bank (PPP) (refreshed weekly)
- US states:
- BEA (RPP-adjusted) (refreshed weekly)
- Caveat:
- States are deflated by BEA regional price parities; countries use World Bank PPP. Both anchor to the US price level, but the adjustments come from different programs.
Median income (after tax)grade B
45 countries · 0 states · refreshed Aug 10, 2026- Countries:
- OECD Income Distribution Database (refreshed weekly)
- Caveat:
- OECD countries only for now; US states pending a Census API key.
Unemploymentgrade A
187 countries · 51 states · refreshed Aug 10, 2026- Countries:
- World Bank (ILO modelled) (refreshed weekly)
- US states:
- BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (refreshed weekly)
- Caveat:
- Both follow the ILO unemployment definition; annual averages compared.
Infant mortalitygrade A
196 countries · 51 states · refreshed Aug 8, 2026- Countries:
- World Bank / UN IGME (refreshed weekly)
- US states:
- CDC NCHS (refreshed weekly)
- Caveat:
- Vital-registration based on both sides; minor differences in birth-registration cutoffs.
Suicide rategrade B
185 countries · 51 states · refreshed Aug 8, 2026- Countries:
- WHO Global Health Observatory (refreshed weekly)
- US states:
- CDC (NVSS) (refreshed weekly)
- Caveat:
- WHO country figures are age-standardized; state figures follow NVSS conventions. Reporting completeness varies by country.
CO₂ emissionsgrade B
203 countries · 51 states · refreshed Aug 8, 2026- Countries:
- World Bank (refreshed weekly)
- US states:
- US EIA (refreshed weekly)
- Caveat:
- Country figures cover all CO₂ sources; state figures cover energy-related CO₂, which is most but not all of it.
Renewable energygrade B
212 countries · 51 states · refreshed Aug 8, 2026- Countries:
- World Bank / IEA (refreshed weekly)
- US states:
- US EIA SEDS (refreshed weekly)
- Caveat:
- Share definitions differ slightly between IEA and EIA accounting; directionally sound.
Happinessgrade B
162 countries · 0 states · refreshed Aug 8, 2026- Countries:
- World Happiness Report (refreshed weekly)
- Caveat:
- Countries only — the Gallup ladder isn't published per US state.
Nobel laureatesgrade C
193 countries · 51 states · refreshed Aug 8, 2026- Countries:
- Nobel Foundation API (refreshed weekly)
- US states:
- Nobel Foundation API (birthplace) (refreshed weekly)
- Caveat:
- Birthplace credit is one convention among several (laureates often work elsewhere), and small places swing wildly per capita. For fun, not policy.
Populationgrade A
217 countries · 51 states · refreshed Aug 8, 2026- Countries:
- World Bank (refreshed weekly)
- US states:
- US Census Bureau (refreshed weekly)
Land areagrade A
249 countries · 51 states · refreshed Aug 8, 2026- Countries:
- UN / world-countries (updated per edition)
- US states:
- US Census gazetteer (updated per edition)
Cost of livinggrade B
198 countries · 51 states · refreshed Aug 8, 2026- Countries:
- World Bank (price level ratio) (refreshed weekly)
- US states:
- BEA Regional Price Parities (refreshed weekly)
- Caveat:
- Countries use the GDP-basis PPP price level, states BEA's consumption-basis regional price parities — both rebased to US = 100.
Income inequalitygrade B
168 countries · 51 states · refreshed Aug 8, 2026- Countries:
- World Bank (Poverty & Inequality Platform) (refreshed weekly)
- US states:
- US Census ACS (B19083) (refreshed weekly)
- Caveat:
- Countries measure equivalized disposable income or consumption; states use pre-tax household money income, which reads a few points higher.
Labor force participationgrade A
187 countries · 51 states · refreshed Aug 10, 2026- Countries:
- World Bank / ILO (refreshed weekly)
- US states:
- BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (refreshed weekly)
- Caveat:
- Countries count ages 15+, US states the 16+ civilian noninstitutional population — a negligible difference.
Economic growthgrade A
214 countries · 51 states · refreshed Aug 8, 2026- Countries:
- World Bank (refreshed weekly)
- US states:
- BEA (real state GDP) (refreshed weekly)
Foreign-born populationgrade A
232 countries · 51 states · refreshed Aug 8, 2026- Countries:
- UN DESA International Migrant Stock (refreshed weekly)
- US states:
- US Census ACS (B05012) (refreshed weekly)
- Caveat:
- Both count foreign-born residents; the UN's US figure is itself built from Census data.
Median agegrade A
237 countries · 51 states · refreshed Aug 8, 2026- Countries:
- UN World Population Prospects (refreshed weekly)
- US states:
- US Census ACS (B01002) (refreshed weekly)
Birth rategrade A
217 countries · 50 states · refreshed Aug 8, 2026- Countries:
- World Bank / UN (refreshed weekly)
- US states:
- CDC NCHS (provisional counts) (refreshed weekly)
- Caveat:
- State figures divide provisional CDC birth counts by Census population estimates; provisional counts are revised slightly. New York is not shown — the CDC series excludes New York City.
Alcohol consumptiongrade A
187 countries · 51 states · refreshed Aug 9, 2026- Countries:
- World Bank / WHO (refreshed weekly)
- US states:
- NIAAA surveillance data (refreshed weekly)
- Caveat:
- Both are sales-based apparent consumption of pure ethanol; countries count ages 15+, states 14+.
Marriage rategrade A
45 countries · 51 states · refreshed Aug 9, 2026Divorce rategrade A
44 countries · 49 states · refreshed Aug 9, 2026Air pollution (PM2.5)grade C
200 countries · 51 states · refreshed Aug 8, 2026- Countries:
- World Bank (satellite-derived) (refreshed weekly)
- US states:
- EPA AirData (monitor annual means) (refreshed weekly)
- Caveat:
- Countries are modeled population-weighted means; states average EPA ground monitors without population weighting, and data years differ.
Internet accessgrade B
210 countries · 51 states · refreshed Aug 8, 2026- Countries:
- World Bank / ITU (refreshed weekly)
- US states:
- US Census ACS (B28002) (refreshed weekly)
- Caveat:
- Countries count individuals using the internet, states count households with a subscription — close but not identical.
College degreesgrade B
188 countries · 51 states · refreshed Aug 8, 2026- Countries:
- World Bank / UNESCO (refreshed weekly)
- US states:
- US Census ACS (S1501) (refreshed weekly)
- Caveat:
- Same bachelor's-or-higher concept; some countries' latest survey year is several years old — the year shows next to each value.
Average wagesgrade B
165 countries · 51 states · refreshed Aug 10, 2026- Countries:
- ILO (ILOSTAT) (refreshed weekly)
- US states:
- BLS QCEW, price-adjusted (refreshed weekly)
- Caveat:
- Countries: ILO average monthly earnings in PPP dollars. States: average annual pay ÷ 12, deflated by BEA regional price parities.
House price growthgrade B
57 countries · 51 states · refreshed Aug 8, 2026- Countries:
- BIS residential property prices (refreshed weekly)
- US states:
- FHFA House Price Index (refreshed weekly)
- Caveat:
- Year-over-year growth of each side's official index; index construction differs by country. Good or bad depends on whether you're buying or owning.
Fertility rategrade A
217 countries · 0 states · refreshed Aug 8, 2026- Countries:
- World Bank / UN (refreshed weekly)
Robbery rategrade B
132 countries · 51 states · refreshed Aug 8, 2026- Countries:
- UNODC crime statistics (refreshed weekly)
- US states:
- FBI Crime Data Explorer (refreshed weekly)
- Caveat:
- Robbery (theft with force) travels across systems better than most crime categories, but reporting rates still vary by country. 2021 US data is omitted (reporting-system transition).
Police officersgrade B
111 countries · 51 states · refreshed Aug 8, 2026- Countries:
- UNODC criminal justice statistics (refreshed weekly)
- US states:
- FBI police employment data (refreshed weekly)
- Caveat:
- US counts sworn officers; some countries' UNODC figures include support staff or gendarmerie-type forces.
Tax on laborgrade A
38 countries · 0 states · refreshed Aug 10, 2026- Countries:
- OECD Taxing Wages (refreshed weekly)
- Caveat:
- OECD countries only — the canonical harmonized tax-wedge series.
Top income tax rategrade A
38 countries · 0 states · refreshed Aug 10, 2026- Countries:
- OECD Tax Database (refreshed weekly)
- Caveat:
- OECD countries only. US federal + average state top rate.
2-bedroom rentgrade C
38 countries · 51 states · refreshed Aug 8, 2026- Countries:
- Eurostat (capital-city rents) (refreshed weekly)
- US states:
- HUD Fair Market Rents (refreshed weekly)
- Caveat:
- Countries: average rent in the capital city (Europe only, EU survey). States: HUD 40th-percentile fair market rent, population-weighted. Different distributions — treat ranks as a rough guide.
Wealth taxgrade B
8 countries · 0 states · refreshed Aug 8, 2026- Countries:
- Curated from national tax authorities / OECD (updated per edition)
- Caveat:
- Only countries that levy a net wealth tax are listed; most countries have none. Swiss rates vary by canton — the highest cantonal rate is shown.
Income to join the top 1%grade B
91 countries · 0 states · refreshed Aug 8, 2026- Countries:
- World Inequality Database (refreshed weekly)
- Caveat:
- WID pre-tax national income per adult, converted at PPP rates. Only countries with survey- or tax-data-backed estimates are shown; US-state tax data measures a different thing, so states are not ranked here.
Income to join the top 10%grade B
91 countries · 0 states · refreshed Aug 8, 2026- Countries:
- World Inequality Database (refreshed weekly)
- Caveat:
- WID pre-tax national income per adult, converted at PPP rates. Only countries with survey- or tax-data-backed estimates are shown.
Median income (before tax)grade B
91 countries · 0 states · refreshed Aug 8, 2026- Countries:
- World Inequality Database (refreshed weekly)
- Caveat:
- WID pre-tax national income per adult at PPP — before taxes and most transfers, so not the same as take-home pay.
Wealth to join the top 1%grade C
91 countries · 0 states · refreshed Aug 8, 2026- Countries:
- World Inequality Database (refreshed weekly)
- Caveat:
- Wealth distributions are modeled estimates nearly everywhere — treat as indicative, not measured.
Wealth to join the top 10%grade C
91 countries · 0 states · refreshed Aug 8, 2026- Countries:
- World Inequality Database (refreshed weekly)
- Caveat:
- Wealth distributions are modeled estimates nearly everywhere — treat as indicative, not measured.
Median wealthgrade C
91 countries · 0 states · refreshed Aug 8, 2026- Countries:
- World Inequality Database (refreshed weekly)
- Caveat:
- Wealth distributions are modeled estimates nearly everywhere — treat as indicative, not measured.
Chess grandmastersgrade A
199 countries · 0 states · refreshed Aug 8, 2026- Countries:
- FIDE rating list (refreshed weekly)
- Caveat:
- England, Scotland and Wales are separate chess federations and are combined into the UK here.
World Heritage sitesgrade A
199 countries · 0 states · refreshed Aug 8, 2026- Countries:
- UNESCO via Wikidata (refreshed weekly)
Big Mac pricegrade A
55 countries · 0 states · refreshed Aug 8, 2026- Countries:
- The Economist Big Mac Index (refreshed weekly)
Beer consumptiongrade A
178 countries · 0 states · refreshed Aug 8, 2026- Countries:
- FAO food balance sheets (refreshed weekly)
- Caveat:
- Apparent consumption (supply), not survey-measured drinking.
Coffee consumptiongrade A
178 countries · 0 states · refreshed Aug 8, 2026- Countries:
- FAO food balance sheets (refreshed weekly)
- Caveat:
- Apparent consumption (supply), not survey-measured drinking.
Wine consumptiongrade A
178 countries · 0 states · refreshed Aug 8, 2026- Countries:
- FAO food balance sheets (refreshed weekly)
- Caveat:
- Apparent consumption (supply), not survey-measured drinking.
Chocolate consumptiongrade A
178 countries · 0 states · refreshed Aug 8, 2026- Countries:
- FAO food balance sheets (refreshed weekly)
- Caveat:
- Measured as cocoa beans and products, not finished chocolate bars.
Passport powergrade A
198 countries · 0 states · refreshed Aug 8, 2026- Countries:
- Passport Index (open dataset) (refreshed weekly)
- Caveat:
- Counts ~199 sovereign destinations; press rankings that also count territories read ~25 higher.
Forest coveragegrade A
214 countries · 0 states · refreshed Aug 8, 2026- Countries:
- World Bank / FAO (refreshed weekly)
Metal bandsgrade C
75 countries · 0 states · refreshed Aug 8, 2026- Countries:
- Wikidata (refreshed weekly)
- Caveat:
- As catalogued on Wikidata — coverage skews toward Western scenes, and microstates distort the per-capita view.