The United States offers a higher GDP per capita and lower unemployment, but faces challenges in healthcare and crime. Canada provides strong personal freedoms and a falling crime rate, but has longer healthcare wait times and a high cost of living. Both countries are perceived to have issues with corruption.
Attribute | Canada | United States |
---|---|---|
GDP per capita | $44,401.72 - $54,283 USD (2024) | $66,682.61 in 2024 (recorded), expected to reach $67,816.00 by the end of 2025. Nominal GDP per capita in 2023 was $82,769.41. |
Healthcare system quality | Long wait times, ranked last among 11 countries in 2016 for specialist care wait times | Varies; spends nearly twice as much per capita compared to other wealthy nations but often performs worse in long-term health outcomes. Americans' rating of the quality of U.S. healthcare has fallen to the lowest reading in 24 years. Average wait time for specialist medical appointments is 31 days, with some specialties exceeding 60 days. |
Education system ranking | Not available | Varies; rated 14th best in the world in 2014. PISA 2022 results placed the U.S. around the top 10-20 countries in reading and science, but 34th in math. WalletHub's 2025 U.S. Public School Rankings put Massachusetts at the top. Ranks 10th among industrial countries for the percentage of adults with college degrees. |
Cost of living index | 66.1 (2024) | Not available |
Average income | $67,282 - $72,800 per year (2024) | Median household income in 2023 was $80,610. Average salary for an individual worker in 2023 was $65,470. The average annual salary in the U.S. is $66,622. |
Unemployment rate | 6.7% (December 2024) | 4.1% in June 2025 |
Environmental Performance Index | Not available | Not available |
Political stability | Not available | Not available |
Crime rate | Fell 4% in 2024 | In 2023, there were 364 violent crimes and 1,917 property crimes per 100,000 people. The combined violent and property crime rate in the U.S. fell 3% in 2023 compared to the previous year. Common crimes in urban areas include violent crimes like homicide, robbery, and aggravated assault, and property crimes like burglary, larceny, and motor vehicle theft. |
Immigration policies | Maximum intake cap of 360,000 international students for 2024 | Prioritizes family reunification, admitting skilled workers, humanitarian protection, and promoting diversity. The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) allows the United States to grant up to 675,000 permanent immigrant visas each year. U.S. immigration system is based on principles of family reunification, admitting immigrants with skills valuable to the U.S. economy, humanitarian protections, and promoting diversity. It is relatively easy for foreigners to obtain work visas or permanent residency. |
Cultural diversity index | Not available | Not available |
Personal freedom index | Ranked 11th out of 165 countries on the Human Freedom Index 2024, global freedom score is 97 out of 100 | Not available |
Pros | Strong history of respect for political rights and civil liberties, Constitutionally protected freedom of movement | High GDP per capita, Relatively low unemployment rate, Prioritizes family reunification, skilled workers, humanitarian protection, and diversity in immigration policies |
Cons | Long wait times for specialist medical appointments (median 30.0 weeks in 2024), High cost of living in major cities like Vancouver, Calgary and Toronto, Decreasing number of temporary residents planned, Perception of increased corruption in the public sector and government | Healthcare system quality varies, with high costs but potentially worse outcomes, Education system ranking varies across different metrics, High crime rate, Government corruption |
Corruption Perception | Half of Canadians believe corruption in Canada has increased a lot in the last three years. A majority of Canadians think corruption is a problem in the public sector and government. | Over 65% of Americans are afraid or very afraid of government corruption. The United States scored 65 on Transparency International's 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index, the lowest score ever assigned to the U.S. |