OECD Better Life Index USA 2017

8/30/2017 OECD Better Life Index
OECD Better Life Index
United States
 Learn even more about the United States at oecd.org
Did you know?
Population 311.6 mil.

Visitors per year 171.6 mil.
Renewable energy 6.3 %
How’s Life?
The United States performs very well in many measures of well-being relative to most other
countries in the Better Life Index. The United States ranks at the top in housing, and income and
wealth. They rank above the average in health status, jobs and earnings, education and skills,
social connections, personal security, subjective well-being, environmental quality, and civic
engagement.
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 41 071 a year, more than the OECD average of USD 29 016 a year, and the highest figure in
the OECD. But there is a considerable gap between the richest and poorest – the top 20% of the
population earn about eight times as much as the bottom 20%.
In terms of employment, 68% of people aged 15 to 64 in the United States have a paid job,
above the OECD employment average of 66%. Some 73% of men are in paid work, compared with
63% of women. In the United States, around 12% of employees work very long hours, slightly
http://www.oecdbetterlifeindex.org/countries/united-states/ 1/25
lower than the OECD average of 13%, with 16% of men working very long hours compared with
7% of women.
Good education and skills are important requisites for finding a job. In the United States, 90% of
adults aged 25-64 have completed upper secondary education, considerably higher than the
OECD average of 76%. This is slightly truer of women than men, as 89% of men have successfully
completed high-school compared with 91% of women. In terms of the quality of the educational
system, the average student scored 492 in reading literacy, maths and science in the OECD's
Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), lower than the OECD average of 497.
On average in the United States, girls outperformed boys by 9 points, slightly more than the
average OECD gap of 8 points.
In terms of health, life expectancy at birth in the United States is almost 79 years, one year
lower than the OECD average of 80 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 10.7 micrograms per cubic meter, lower than the OECD
average of 14.05 micrograms per cubic meter. The United States also does well in terms of water
quality, as 84% of people say they are satisfied with the quality of their water, higher than
the OECD average of 81%.
Concerning the public sphere, there is a strong sense of community and moderate levels of civic
participation in the United States, where 90% of people believe that they know someone they
could rely on in time of need, slightly higher than the OECD average of 88%. Voter turnout, a
measure of citizens' participation in the political process, was 67% during recent elections; this
figure is slightly lower than the OECD average of 68%. Social and economic status can affect
voting rates; voter turnout for the top 20% of the population is an estimated 75% and for the
bottom 20% it is an estimated 53%, broader than the OECD average gap of 13 percentage points,
and points to shortcomings in the political mobilisation of the worst-off.
In general, Americans are more satisfied with their lives than the OECD average. When asked to
rate their general satisfaction with life on a scale from 0 to 10, people in the United States gave
it a 6.9 grade, higher than the OECD average of 6.5.
For more information on estimates and years of reference, see FAQ section

(http://www.oecdbetterlifeindex.org/about/better-life-initiative/) and BLI database (http://stats.oecd.org/Index.aspx?
DataSetCode=BLI).
Topics
Housing 
7.9
Income 
10.0
Jobs 
8.4
Community 
6.4
Education 
7.0
Environment 
7.5
Civic engagement 
6.5
Health 
8.9
Life Satisfaction 
7.3
Safety 
7.5
Work-Life Balance 
6.2
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OECD in Action
OECD Economic Surveys: United States 2016
This 2016 OECD Economic Survey of the United States examines recent economic developments,
policies and prospects. The special chapters cover: Private sector productivity and Making growth
more inclusive.
 Read this report
Find Out More
Back to Work: United States: Improving the Re-employment Prospects of Displaced

Workers (http://www.keepeek.com/Digital-Asset-Management/oecd/employment/back-to-work-united-
states_9789264266513-en#.WHS9K_krJaQ)
 more ... (http://www.keepeek.com/Digital-Asset-Management/oecd/employment/back-to-work-united-states_9789264266513-

en#.WHS9K_krJaQ)
International Migration Outlook 2015: United States (http://www.keepeek.com/Digital-Asset-

Management/oecd/social-issues-migration-health/international-migration-outlook-2015/united-
states_migr_outlook-2015-44-en#page1)
 more ... (http://www.keepeek.com/Digital-Asset-Management/oecd/social-issues-migration-health/international-migration-outlook-

2015/united-states_migr_outlook-2015-44-en#page1)
Employment Outlook 2015: United States (http://www.oecd.org/unitedstates/Employment-Outlook-

UnitedStates-EN.pdf)
 more ... (http://www.oecd.org/unitedstates/Employment-Outlook-UnitedStates-EN.pdf)
United States in Detail
 Housing 
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 19% of
their gross adjusted disposable income on keeping a roof over their heads, below the OECD
average of 21%.
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 terms of basic
facilities, 99.9% of people in the United States live in dwellings with private access to an
indoor flushing toilet, more than the OECD average of 97.9%.
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.
More Resources
 How's Life? 2015: Measuring Well-being
Indicators
Rooms per person 
~2.4 rooms
Rank:
2 / 38
Dwellings with basic facilities 

99.9%
Rank:
7 / 38
Housing expenditure 
18.8%
Rank:
7 / 38
 Income 
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 41 071 a year, much higher than the OECD average of USD 29 016 and the
highest figure in the OECD.
Household financial wealth is the total value of a household's financial worth, such as money or
shares held in bank accounts. In the United States, the average household net financial wealth
per capita is estimated at USD 163 268, considerably higher than the OECD average of USD 84
547 and the highest figure in the OECD. While the ideal measure of household wealth should also
include non-financial assets (e.g. land and dwellings), such information is currently available for
only a small number of OECD countries, and is not included here.

DataSetCode=BLI).

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.
More Resources
Indicators
Household net adjusted disposable income 

41071USD
Rank:
1 / 38
Trend
average annual increase

+0.0% since 2008

Social Inequality 
8.19 rich poor
Rank:
33 / 38
Household financial wealth 

163268USD
Rank:
1 / 38
Trend

+0.1% since 2008

 Jobs 
Key Findings
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 68% of the working-age population aged 15 to 64
has a paid job. This figure is 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 1.4%, lower than the OECD average of 2.6%.
The wages and other monetary benefits that come with employment are an important aspect of
job quality. People in the United States earn USD 57 139 per year on average, much more than
the OECD average of USD 40 974 and one of the highest rates across 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 5.2% loss of
earnings if they become unemployed, lower than the OECD average of 6.3%.

DataSetCode=BLI)
More Resources

 OECD Job Quality Database
Indicators
Employment rate 
68.1%
Rank:
18 / 38
Trend

-0.5% since 2008

Gender Inequality 
1.17 men women
Rank:
21 / 38
2.33 rich poor
Rank:
30 / 38
Long-term unemployment rate 

1.4%
Rank:
12 / 38
Trend

+0.0% since 2008

1.10 men women
Rank:
9 / 38
4.11 rich poor
Rank:
31 / 38
Personal earnings 
57139USD
Rank:
2 / 38
Trend

+0.2% since 2008

1.28 men women
Rank:
32 / 38
3.01 rich poor
Rank:
35 / 38
Job security 
5.2%
Rank:
22 / 38
Trend

+0.1% since 2008

1.04 men women
Rank:
5 / 38
4.39 rich poor
Rank:
34 / 38
 Community 
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, 90% of people believe that they know someone they could rely on in a time of need,
more than the OECD average of 88%.
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.

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 (http://www.sustainablecommunities.gov/mission/about-us).
More Resources
 The value of giving: Volunteering and well-being

 OECD Insights: Human Capital
Indicators
Quality of support network 

90.1%
Rank:
22 / 38
1.05 men women
Rank:
31 / 38
 Education 
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 17.1 years of education between the ages of 5 and
39, slightly less than the OECD average of 17.5 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, 90% of
adults aged 25-64 have completed upper secondary education, higher than the OECD average
of 76%.
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 2012, 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 492 in reading literacy, maths and sciences,
slightly less than the OECD average of 497. The best-performing school systems manage to
provide high-quality education to all students.

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.
More Resources
Indicators
Educational attainment 
89.6%
Rank:
8 / 38
Trend

-0.1% since 2008

1.02 men women
Rank:
9 / 38
Student skills 
492 score
Rank:
22 / 38
1.02 men women
Rank:
22 / 38
1.22 rich poor
Rank:
22 / 38
Years in education 
17.1 years
Rank:
25 / 38
1.07 men women
Rank:
31 / 38
Environment
 Environment 
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 10.7 micrograms per cubic meter, lower than the OECD average
of 14.05 micrograms per cubic meter and close to 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, 84% of people say they are satisfied with water quality, higher
than the OECD average of 81%.

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 U.S. 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.
More Resources

 OECD Environmental Outlook to 2050
Indicators
Air pollution 
10.7 micrograms
Rank:
10 / 38
Water quality 
83.7%
Rank:
20 / 38
1.05 men women
Rank:
29 / 38
 Civic Engagement 
Key Findings
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 67% of those registered. This figure
is lower than the OECD average of 68%.
Even if the right to vote is universal in all OECD countries, not everyone exercises this right. There
is little difference in the voting rates of men and women in most OECD countries.
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 3.2 (on a scale
between 0 and 4), one of the highest levels in the OECD, where the average is 2.4.
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.

DataSetCode=BLI)
More Resources

 Regulatory Policy Outlook: United States
Indicators
Voter turnout 
66.7%
Rank:
23 / 38
1.03 men women
Rank:
27 / 38
1.42 rich poor
Rank:
34 / 38
Stakeholder engagement for developing regulations 

3.2 index
Rank:
2 / 38
 Health 
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. While
life expectancy in the United States used to be 1 ½ year above the OECD average in 1960, it is
now, at almost 79 years, one year below the average of 80 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 69% 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.

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.
More Resources
Indicators
Life expectancy 
78.8 years
Rank:
27 / 38
1.06 men women
Rank:
16 / 38
Self-reported health 
87.5%
Rank:
3 / 38
Trend

+0.0% since 2008

1.02 men women
Rank:
5 / 38
1.31 rich poor
Rank:
22 / 38
Life Satisfaction
 Life Satisfaction 
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 gave it a 6.9 grade, higher than the OECD average of 6.5.

Summer Streets in New York
On three consecutive Saturdays in the summer, nearly seven miles of New York City's streets are
opened up for everyone to play, walk, bike and breathe. Summer Streets, an annual celebration of
the city's most valuable public space, its streets, provides space for healthy recreation and
encourages New Yorkers to use more sustainable forms of transport. Part bike tour, part walking
tour, part block party, it is a great time for exercise, people watching or just enjoying summer
mornings. In 2012, more than 250 000 people took advantage of the event. Its route extends from
the Brooklyn Bridge to Central Park, along Park Avenue and connecting streets, with easy side
travel options on low-traffic streets to the Hudson River Greenway, Harlem, Brooklyn and
Governors Island, allowing participants to plan a route as long or short as they wish. All activities
are free of charge and designed for people of all ages and ability levels to share the streets
respectfully.
More Resources
Indicators
Life satisfaction 
6.9 rate
Rank:
15 / 38
1.02 men women
Rank:
18 / 38
 Safety 
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, 74% of people say that they feel safe
walking alone at night, more than the OECD average of 68%.
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 5.2, higher than
the OECD average of 4.1.
However, while men are at a greater risk of being victims of assault and violent crime, women
report lower feelings of security than men. This has been explained by a greater fear of sexual
attacks, the feeling they must also protect their children and their concern that they may be seen
as partially responsible.
More Resources
Indicators
Feeling safe walking alone at night 
73.9%
Rank:
15 / 38
1.35 men women
Rank:
31 / 38
Homicide rate 
5.2 homicides
Rank:
33 / 38
Trend

-0.9% since 2008

3.68 men women
Rank:
1 / 37
 Work-Life Balance 
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.
The share of employees working 50 hours or more per week is not very large across OECD
countries. In the United States, almost 12% of employees work very long hours, slightly less
than the OECD average of 13%.
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 60% of their day on average, or 14.5 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.

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.
More Resources
Indicators
Employees working very long hours 
11.7%
Rank:
27 / 38
2.31 men women
Rank:
14 / 38
Time devoted to leisure and personal care 

14.5 hours
Rank:
29 / 38
1.02 men women
Rank:
8 / 38
© OECD | oecdbetterlifeindex.org

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OECD Better Life Index

Did you know?

Population 311.6 mil.

For more information on estimates and years of reference, see FAQ section

OECD Economic Surveys: United States 2016

 Read this report

Find Out More

Back to Work: United States: Improving the Re-employment Prospects of Displaced

 more ... (http://www.keepeek.com/Digital-Asset-Management/oecd/employment/back-to-work-united-states_9789264266513-

International Migration Outlook 2015: United States (http://www.keepeek.com/Digital-Asset-

 more ... (http://www.keepeek.com/Digital-Asset-Management/oecd/social-issues-migration-health/international-migration-outlook-

Employment Outlook 2015: United States (http://www.oecd.org/unitedstates/Employment-Outlook-

 more ... (http://www.oecd.org/unitedstates/Employment-Outlook-UnitedStates-EN.pdf)

United States in Detail

Better Policies for Better Lives

 How's Life? 2015: Measuring Well-being

Dwellings with basic facilities 

For more information on estimates and years of reference, see FAQ section

Better Policies for Better Lives

 How's Life? 2015: Measuring Well-being

Household net adjusted disposable income 

average annual increase

8.19 rich poor

Household financial wealth 

average annual increase

For more information on estimates and years of reference, see FAQ section

 How's Life? 2015: Measuring Well-being

average annual increase

1.17 men women

2.33 rich poor

Long-term unemployment rate 

average annual increase

1.10 men women

4.11 rich poor

average annual increase

1.28 men women

3.01 rich poor

average annual increase

1.04 men women

4.39 rich poor

Better Policies for Better Lives

Building sustainable communities

 The value of giving: Volunteering and well-being

Quality of support network 

1.05 men women

Better Policies for Better Lives

Second chance for school drop-outs

 How's Life? 2015: Measuring Well-being

average annual increase

1.02 men women

1.02 men women

1.22 rich poor

1.07 men women

Better Policies for Better Lives

Re-using contaminated land for renewable energy

 How's Life? 2015: Measuring Well-being

1.05 men women

Footnote for the United States:

For more information on estimates and years of reference, see FAQ section

 How's Life? 2015: Measuring Well-being

1.03 men women

1.42 rich poor

Stakeholder engagement for developing regulations 