Life expectancy in the United States is lower than in most other OECD countries for several reasons, including poorer health-related behaviours and the highly fragmented nature of the US health system. The proportion of adults who smoke in the United States is among the lowest in OECD countries, but alcohol consumption is rising and obesity rate is the highest.

The US economy is making one of the strongest comebacks in the OECD, but there are risks on the horizon, according to the OECD’s latest Economic Survey of the United States.

This country note provides an environmental tax and carbon pricing profile for the United States. It shows environmentally related tax revenues, taxes on energy use and effective carbon rates.

This country note presents student performance in science, reading and mathematics, and measures equity in education in the United States. The interactive charts allow you to compare results with other countries participating in the OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA).

Selected findings for the United States from the report "The Pursuit of Gender Equality: An Uphill Battle"

Selected findings for the United States from the report "Preventing Ageing Unequally"

Key findings for the United States from the report "Pensions at a Glance 2017"

Providing American seniors with better work incentives and opportunities will be crucial for the United States to meet the challenges of its rapidly ageing population. By 2028, more than one in five Americans will be aged 65 and over, up from fewer than one in six today, according to a new OECD report.

This note presents marginal effective tax rates (METRs) that summarise the tax system’s impact on the incentives to make an additional investment in a particular type of savings. By comparing METRs on different types of household savings, we can gain insights into which assets or savings types receive the most favourable treatment from the tax system.

A broken social elevator? Key findings for United States

This country note for the United States provides detail on the proportion of CO2 emissions from energy use subject to different effective carbon rates (ECR), as well as on the level and components of average ECRs in each of the six economic sectors (road transport, off-road transport, industry, agriculture and fishing, residential & commercial, and electricity).

The United States has one of the lowest rates of non-standard forms of work among OECD countries. In particular, the United States has the lowest rate of self-employment among OECD countries with 6.2% compared to an OECD average of 14.2%

The OECD has appointed Jeffrey Schlagenhauf as a Deputy Secretary-General. An American national, he will support Secretary-General Angel Gurría in increasing the impact and global relevance of OECD work, as well as contributing to the public policy challenges of assuring strong inclusive growth and jobs.

This country note explains how the United States taxes energy use. The note shows the distribution of effective energy tax rates across all domestic energy use. It also details the country-specific assumptions made when calculating effective energy tax rates and matching tax rates to the corresponding energy base.

The United States spends more on healthcare than any other OECD country, both as a proportion of GDP (16.9%) and per person (USD 10 586). High levels of spending have not translated into people leading longer lives. Life expectancy at birth is two years below the OECD average, and actually declined by over two months between 2012 and 2017.

Key findings for the United States from the report "Pensions at a Glance 2019"

The tax-to-GDP ratio in the United States decreased by 2.5 percentage points from 26.8% in 2017 to 24.3% in 2018. The corresponding figure for the OECD average was a slight increase of 0.1 percentage point from 34.2% to 34.3% over the same period.

The tax wedge for the average single worker in the United States increased by 0.2 percentage points from 29.6 in 2018 to 29.8 in 2019. The OECD average tax wedge in 2019 was 36.0 (2018, 36.1). In 2019 the United States had the 29th lowest tax wedge among the 36 OECD member countries, occupying the same position in 2018.

The United Kingdom has one of the highest rates of obesity: nearly one in three adults are obese. As a result, people in the United Kingdom live on average 2.7 years less due to overweight. Overweight accounts for 8.4% of health expenditure; and lowers labour market outputs by the equivalent of 944 thousand full time workers per year. Combined, this means that overweight reduces United Kingdom’s GDP by 3.4%.

This country note explains how the United Kingdom taxes energy use. The note shows the distribution of effective energy tax rates across all domestic energy use. It also details the country-specific assumptions made when calculating effective energy tax rates and matching tax rates to the corresponding energy base.

The United Kingdom spends almost 10% of its GDP on health, about one percentage point higher than the OECD average. This is projected to reach 11.4% by 2030. This level of spending buys strong access to health care, with low levels of inequality, though long-term care services are less accessible. Quality of care indicators are typically close to the OECD average. Health outcomes are fairly good.

The tax-to-GDP ratio in the United Kingdom increased by 0.2 percentage points from 33.3% in 2017 to 33.5% in 2018. The corresponding figure for the OECD average was a slight increase of 0.1 percentage point from 34.2% to 34.3% over the same period.

The tax wedge for the average single worker in the United Kingdom remained the same at 30.9 percentage points between 2018 and 2019. The OECD average tax wedge in 2019 was 36.0 (2018, 36.1). In 2019 the United Kingdom had the 27th lowest tax wedge among the 36 OECD member countries, occupying the same position in 2018.

Korea tops a new OECD PISA survey that tests how 15-year olds use computers and the Internet to learn. The next best performers were New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Hong-Kong China and Iceland.

Education at a Glance 2013 - Country notes and key fact tables

This note presents key findings for New Zealand from Society at a Glance 2014 - OECD Social indicators. This 2014 publication also provides a special chapter on: the crisis and its aftermath: a “stress test” for societies and for social policies.

The tax burden in New Zealand declined by 0.9 percentage points from 33.0% to 32.1%, the third largest fall amongst member countries in 2013. The OECD average was an increase of 0.4 percentage points from 33.7% to 34.1%. New Zealand’s standard GST rate is 15%, which is below the OECD average. The average VAT/GST standard rate in the OECD was 19.1% on 1 January 2014.

Going for Growth 2015: Key findings for New Zealand

At 75%, the employment rate in New Zealand is the third highest among OECD countries and has been only marginally affected by the recent economic crisis.

This country note provides an environmental tax and carbon pricing profile for New Zealands. It shows environmentally related tax revenues, taxes on energy use and effective carbon rates.

New Zealand has experienced robust economic growth since 2012, buoyed by record levels of inward migration and strong terms of trade. Employment has expanded vigorously, reversing much of the increase in unemployment since the onset of the global financial crisis.

This note presents marginal effective tax rates (METRs) that summarise the tax system’s impact on the incentives to make an additional investment in a particular type of savings. By comparing METRs on different types of household savings, we can gain insights into which assets or savings types receive the most favourable treatment from the tax system.

This country note for New Zealand provides detail on the proportion of CO2 emissions from energy use subject to different effective carbon rates (ECR), as well as on the level and components of average ECRs in each of the six economic sectors (road transport, off-road transport, industry, agriculture and fishing, residential & commercial, and electricity).

The digital revolution, globalisation and demographic changes are transforming labour markets at a time when policy makers are also struggling with slow productivity and wage growth and high levels of income inequality. The new OECD Jobs Strategy provides a comprehensive framework and policy recommendations to help countries address these challenges.

This document describes the key findings for Northern Ireland from the OECD Skills Strategy 2019

New Zealand's tax-to-GDP ratio was 32.0% in 2017, below the OECD average (34.2%) by 2.2 percentage points, and above the LAC and Africa (21)* averages (22.8% and 18.2%, respectively).

This country note explains how New Zealand taxes energy use. The note shows the distribution of effective energy tax rates across all domestic energy use. It also details the country-specific assumptions made when calculating effective energy tax rates and matching tax rates to the corresponding energy base.

The tax-to-GDP ratio in New Zealand increased by 0.6 percentage points from 32.1% in 2017 to 32.7% in 2018. The corresponding figure for the OECD average was a slight increase of 0.1 percentage point from 34.2% to 34.3% over the same period.

The tax wedge for the average single worker in New Zealand increased by 0.4 percentage points from 18.4 in 2018 to 18.8 in 2019. The OECD average tax wedge in 2019 was 36.0 (2018, 36.1). In 2019 New Zealand had the 35th lowest tax wedge among the 36 OECD member countries, occupying the same position in 2018.

Education at a Glance 2013 - Country notes and key fact tables

This note presents key findings for Canada from Society at a Glance 2014 - OECD Social indicators. This 2014 publication also provides a special chapter on: the crisis and its aftermath: a “stress test” for societies and for social policies.

Obesity rates are high in Canada, relative to most OECD countries, but they have not increased substantially in the last 15 years.

Country notes highlight some key findings from TALIS 2013 for individual countries and economies

Going for Growth 2015: Key findings for Canada

Life expectancy in Canada is one year higher than the OECD average and about three years higher than in the United States, but remains significantly lower than in leading OECD countries (Japan, Spain and Switzerland).

The latest OECD Economic Survey of Canada, to be published on Monday 13 June, discusses how the Canadian economy is adjusting to the fall in commodity prices. The Survey assesses future growth and employment prospects as the economy shifts toward non-resource-based activity, including policies for accompanying this transition.

This country note provides an environmental tax and carbon pricing profile for Canada. It shows environmentally related tax revenues, taxes on energy use and effective carbon rates.

This country note presents student performance in science, reading and mathematics, and measures equity in education in Canada. The interactive charts allow you to compare results with other countries participating in the OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA).

Selected findings for Canada from the report "The Pursuit of Gender Equality: An Uphill Battle"

Selected findings for Canada from the report "Preventing Ageing Unequally"