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United States

The world's largest economy - unmatched opportunity at a high price of entry

73/100
FutureLife Score
#61
FutureLife Index 2026
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$3,500
Comfortable/mo
7.5/10
Safety
8/10
Healthcare
#24
Happiness rank

Key Scores

73/100
Higher = better
Future Life Score
7.5/10
Safety Index
8/10
Healthcare
#24
Lower = happier
Happiness Rank

Why people move to United States

+World's largest economy and most powerful tech ecosystem
+190 Mbps average internet - fastest nationally in the Americas
+National Park system: Yellowstone, Yosemite, Grand Canyon
+World-class universities: Harvard, MIT, Stanford
+EB-5 Investor visa path to permanent residency
High incomeTech hubDiverse
Culture & context

Vast, regionally diverse, culturally exported worldwide. Optimistic, individualist, business-friendly, and impossible to generalise - 50 states are 50 cultures.

People, religion & languages

Population
~336M
83% urban
Languages
English (de facto, no constitutional official language)
Also: Spanish (~13%), Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese, many more
Day-to-day English

Native. Spanish increasingly common in southwest, Florida, big cities.

Religion

Diverse and religious by Western standards - Christianity dominant but declining; large 'no affiliation' growth among younger Americans.

Protestant
40%
No affiliation
28%
Catholic
20%
Jewish
2%
Muslim
1%
Other
9%
In daily life

Highly variable by region - Bible Belt deeply religious, coastal/urban very secular.

Culture & etiquette

What locals value and what to watch for

IndividualismOptimism / 'can do'Direct communicationSelf-made successFreedom
Do
  • Tip 18–22% at restaurants - service wages depend on it
  • Smile at strangers, especially in service contexts
  • Use first names quickly - formality is minimal
  • Be direct in business; sugarcoating reads as evasive
Avoid
  • Skipping tips (genuinely insulting and wage-affecting)
  • Asking about salary/health/politics with new acquaintances
  • Assuming all Americans hold one political view
  • Confusing Texas-friendly with NYC-direct - vastly different
Pace of life

Fast in NYC/LA/Bay Area; slower in South and Midwest; PNW outdoorsy.

Expat-friendliness

Extremely international in major cities; visa system complex but English fluency is universal.

Holidays & food culture

Global influence reshaped American cuisine - BBQ regional traditions (Texas, Carolina, Kansas City), Tex-Mex, Cajun, immigrant fusion everywhere.

BurgersBBQ ribsPizza (regional styles)Fried chickenTacosApple pie
Mealtimes

Lunch 12:00–13:00, dinner 18:00–20:00 (early by global standards).

Dietary norms

Veg/vegan very mainstream; restaurant culture accommodating. Tipping culture pervasive.

Major holidays
Fourth Thursday Nov
Thanksgiving
THE family travel holiday
July 4
Independence Day
Fireworks, BBQ
Last Mon May
Memorial Day
First Mon September
Labor Day
December 25
Christmas
Early February
Super Bowl Sunday
De facto holiday - biggest TV event

Work culture & business norms

Working weekMonday–Friday (5-day, ~40 hours legal but salaried often more)
Hours09:00–17:00 official; tech, finance, law often longer. Short vacation (10–15 days typical) compared to Europe.
HierarchyFlat in tech and modern firms; more hierarchical in finance, law, traditional industries.
PunctualityOn time for business.
Meeting styleDirect, action-oriented, often decisions in the room.
Business attireVaries wildly - tech t-shirt to Wall Street suit.
Monthly cost snapshot
Comfortable lifestyle$3,500/mo
Semi-Luxury lifestyle$5,900/mo
Luxury lifestyle$11,300/mo

Single person, before income tax

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Quick facts

LanguageEnglish
CurrencyUSD
Internet190 Mbps avg
EnglishVery High
Future Life Score73/100
Future Life Rank#61
PR pathModerate · 5 yrs
Citizenship5 yrs
Passport rank#8
Visa-free186 countries
Income tax37% top rate
VAT0%
CapitalWashington, D.C.
Best airportsJFK (NYC), LAX (Los Angeles), ATL (Atlanta), ORD (Chicago)
Coastline19,924 km Atlantic & Pacific
Population~336M
Avg temp18°C / 64°F

Visa options

B-1/B-2 Tourist/VisitorEasy
H-1B Specialty WorkerHard
EB-5 Investor Green CardHard
O-1 Extraordinary AbilityHard
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