Norway outperforms the US on wellbeing — despite lower GDP per capita
Norway’s HumanValue score exceeds America’s by several points, driven by stronger equality, healthcare, and social support — even though US GDP per capita is similar.
An independent economics research project by Vibhav Goel
Measuring Progress Beyond GDP
GDP tells us how much an economy produces. It does not tell us whether people are healthy, educated, secure, or free. HumanValue Index reimagines how national progress should be measured — through the dimensions that shape human lives.
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Based on public data
A Brief History
The world has been questioning GDP for nearly a century.
1934
GDP is invented. Simon Kuznets warns Congress it was never meant to measure welfare.
1968
Robert Kennedy famously remarks that GDP “measures everything except that which makes life worthwhile.”
1990
The UN introduces the Human Development Index — adding health and education alongside income.
2009
The Stiglitz-Sen-Fitoussi Commission urges countries to move “beyond GDP.”
2011
The OECD launches the Better Life Index, comparing wellbeing across 11 dimensions.
2024
HumanValue Index brings these ideas together in one interactive platform.
The Core Finding
Wealthy countries score higher — but money alone doesn’t explain the ranking.
Each bubble is a country. The horizontal axis shows GDP per capita; the vertical axis shows the HumanValue score. Bubble size reflects population. Notice the spread: countries at similar income levels can differ by 10+ points on human wellbeing.
Featured Insights
Three stories the numbers tell when you look beyond GDP.
Costa Rica rivals Italy in life satisfaction at a fraction of the income
Costa Rica’s life expectancy and social cohesion match Southern European levels, while its GDP per capita is less than half. Progress is not just about money.
Singapore’s high GDP masks a housing affordability gap
Singapore ranks near the top globally for income and innovation, yet its housing price-to-income ratio is among the steepest — a reminder that aggregates hide trade-offs.
Top by HumanValue
Top by GDP per capita
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