Therein lies the problem. The US is a great place to be if you have wealth and influence. If you are an average Joe or Joanne, the overall feel must be quite Hobbesian.
In keeping with the OP here is a comparison between US and Canada:
- 350K USD will get you into the top 5% of earners. In Canada the threshold is 162K CAD, and 294K CAD will get you into the top 1%..
- According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the typical full-time worker in the US earned a median wage of $1,235 per week in the first quarter of 2026, which would total about $64,220 per year
- In Canada, the Full-Time Worker Median: Estimated around $60,000 – $62,000 as wage growth adjusts for recent economic conditions
So...the rich are much richer in the US, but the median income is close to identical between the two countries. Distribution of wealth matters.....
