Australia vs United States

Australia and United States compared on 148 measures that both have. Each pair of values is for the same period, the latest one with data for both countries, so the year can differ from one row to the next.

Where Australia and United States differ most

  • Population density, 2024: Australia 3.5 people per km², United States 37.2 people per km² (10.5 times as high)
  • Maternal mortality ratio, 2023: Australia 2 per 100,000 live births, United States 17 per 100,000 live births (8.5 times as high)
  • Intentional homicides, 2023: Australia 0.9 per 100,000 people, United States 5.8 per 100,000 people (6.7 times as high)
  • Level of water stress, 2022: Australia 4.7%, United States 28.2% (6.0 times as high)
  • Cereal yield, 2024: Australia 2,690 kg per hectare, United States 8,414 kg per hectare (3.1 times as high)

Measures where one value is the largest multiple of the other, among measures with positive values. Totals such as population, index values and growth rates are left out, because their size says little about the difference.

Population and ageing

MeasureAustraliaUnited StatesAustralia compared with United StatesPeriodSource
Population estimates and projections
people
26,451,124 people 343,477,335 people −92.3% 2023 UN Population Division
Median age estimates and projections
years
37.8 years 38.0 years −0.7% 2023 UN Population Division
Fertility rate estimates and projections
live births per woman
1.64 births per woman 1.62 births per woman +0.9% 2023 UN Population Division
Population growth estimates and projections
% per year
0.99% 0.58% +0.40 percentage points 2023 UN Population Division
Population
people
27,614,411 people 341,784,857 people −91.9% 2025 World Bank
Population growth
annual % change
1.53% 0.52% +1.01 percentage points 2025 World Bank
Population aged 65 and over
% of total population
18.1% 18.4% −0.3 percentage points 2025 World Bank
Population aged 0 to 14
% of total population
17.7% 17.1% +0.6 percentage points 2025 World Bank
Fertility rate
births per woman
1.48 births per woman 1.63 births per woman −8.9% 2024 World Bank
Crude birth rate
births per 1,000 people
10.7 per 1,000 people 10.6 per 1,000 people +0.1 per 1,000 people 2024 World Bank
Crude death rate
deaths per 1,000 people
6.9 per 1,000 people 9.0 per 1,000 people −2.1 per 1,000 people 2024 World Bank
Urban population share
% of total population
87.7% 80.2% +7.5 percentage points 2025 World Bank
Adolescent birth rate
births per 1,000 women aged 15 to 19
6.4 per 1,000 women aged 15 to 19 12.4 per 1,000 women aged 15 to 19 −6.0 per 1,000 women aged 15 to 19 2024 World Bank
Age dependency ratio
dependants per 100 people aged 15 to 64
55.7 per 100 working-age people 55.0 per 100 working-age people +0.7 per 100 working-age people 2025 World Bank
Population density
people per square kilometre of land
3.5 people per km² 37.2 people per km² −90.5% 2024 World Bank
Urban population growth
annual % change
1.67% 0.61% +1.06 percentage points 2025 World Bank

Migration and citizenship

MeasureAustraliaUnited StatesAustralia compared with United StatesPeriodSource
Net migration estimates and projections
per 1,000 people
5.3 per 1,000 people 3.9 per 1,000 people +1.5 per 1,000 people 2023 UN Population Division
Net migration
people
137,109 people 1,230,663 people −88.9% 2025 World Bank
International migrant stock
% of population
30.4% 15.2% +15.2 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Personal remittances received
% of GDP
0.1% 0.0% +0.1 percentage points 2025 World Bank

Employment and occupations

MeasureAustraliaUnited StatesAustralia compared with United StatesPeriodSource
ILO estimate of the unemployment rate
% of the labour force aged 15 and over
4.1% 4.2% −0.1 percentage points 2025 ILOSTAT
ILO estimate of youth unemployment
% of the labour force aged 15 to 24
9.6% 9.3% +0.3 percentage points 2025 ILOSTAT
Labour force participation
% of working-age population aged 15 and over
66.5% 61.7% +4.8 percentage points 2025 ILOSTAT
Women's labour force participation
% of women aged 15 and over
62.5% 56.3% +6.2 percentage points 2025 ILOSTAT
Employment-to-population ratio
% of population aged 15 and over
63.8% 59.1% +4.7 percentage points 2025 ILOSTAT
OECD monthly unemployment rate
% of the labour force aged 15 and over, seasonally adjusted
4.7% 4.2% +0.5 percentage points September 2026 OECD
Employment in agriculture
% of total employment
2.2% 1.5% +0.7 percentage points 2025 World Bank
Employment in industry
% of total employment
19.3% 18.9% +0.4 percentage points 2025 World Bank
Employment in services
% of total employment
78.5% 79.6% −1.0 percentage points 2025 World Bank

Economy and productivity

MeasureAustraliaUnited StatesAustralia compared with United StatesPeriodSource
GDP in US dollars
current US dollars
US$1.80 trillion US$30.77 trillion −94.2% 2025 World Bank
GDP per capita in US dollars
current US dollars per person
US$65,130 per person US$90,027 per person −27.7% 2025 World Bank
GDP per capita, PPP
constant 2021 international dollars per person
Int$60,194 per person Int$76,931 per person −21.8% 2025 World Bank
GNI per capita, Atlas method
current US dollars per person
US$64,120 per person US$88,810 per person −27.8% 2025 World Bank
Real GDP growth
annual % change
1.4% 2.2% −0.8 percentage points 2025 World Bank
Services share of GDP
% of GDP
65.7% 76.3% −10.5 percentage points 2021 World Bank
Investment share of GDP
% of GDP
24.3% 21.5% +2.8 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Savings share of GDP
% of GDP
22.9% 16.6% +6.3 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Household consumption per person
constant 2015 US dollars per person
US$33,782 per person US$46,041 per person −26.6% 2024 World Bank

Prices and purchasing power

MeasureAustraliaUnited StatesAustralia compared with United StatesPeriodSource
OECD monthly CPI inflation
% change on the same month a year earlier
4.3% 3.7% +0.6 percentage points September 2026 OECD
Consumer price inflation
annual % change
3.2% 2.9% +0.2 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Consumer price index
index, 2010 = 100
144.3 (2010 = 100) 143.9 (2010 = 100) +0.5 points 2024 World Bank
Inflation measured by the GDP deflator
annual % change
2.3% 2.8% −0.5 percentage points 2025 World Bank
Exchange rate to the US dollar
local currency units per US dollar, annual average
1.552 per US$ 1.000 per US$ +55.2% 2025 World Bank

Housing and households

MeasureAustraliaUnited StatesAustralia compared with United StatesPeriodSource
Slum population
% of urban population
0.0% 0.1% −0.1 percentage points 2022 World Bank

Education and skills

MeasureAustraliaUnited StatesAustralia compared with United StatesPeriodSource
ILO estimate of the youth NEET rate
% of youth aged 15 to 24
8.6% 11.7% −3.1 percentage points 2025 ILOSTAT
Primary completion (UIS)
% of children 3 to 5 years above the final primary grade age
99.6% 98.8% +0.8 percentage points 2018 UNESCO UIS
Lower secondary completion
% of young people 3 to 5 years above the final grade age
99.1% 98.6% +0.5 percentage points 2018 UNESCO UIS
Upper secondary completion
% of young people 3 to 5 years above the final grade age
90.3% 92.6% −2.3 percentage points 2018 UNESCO UIS
Out-of-school children
% of children of primary school age
0.3%nat_est (National estimate) 4.0% −3.7 percentage points 2022 UNESCO UIS
Out-of-school adolescents
% of adolescents of lower secondary school age
1.6%nat_est (National estimate) 0.8% +0.8 percentage points 2022 UNESCO UIS
Out-of-school youth
% of youth of upper secondary school age
6.1%nat_est (National estimate) 5.1% +1.1 percentage points 2022 UNESCO UIS
Primary net enrolment
% of children of primary school age
99.7%nat_est (National estimate) 96.0% +3.7 percentage points 2022 UNESCO UIS
Education share of public spending
% of total government expenditure
12.1% 11.3% +0.8 percentage points 2021 UNESCO UIS
Education spending
% of GDP
5.3% 5.4% −0.1 percentage points 2021 World Bank
Primary school enrolment (gross)
% of the official primary school-age population
99.1% 97.0% +2.2 percentage points 2022 World Bank
Tertiary education enrolment (gross)
% of the population in the five years after secondary school age
106.2% 79.4% +26.9 percentage points 2022 World Bank
Secondary school enrolment (gross)
% of the official secondary school-age population
133.3% 97.5% +35.8 percentage points 2022 World Bank

Health and healthcare

MeasureAustraliaUnited StatesAustralia compared with United StatesPeriodSource
Life expectancy estimates and projections
years
83.9 years 79.3 years +5.8% 2023 UN Population Division
Life expectancy at 65, estimates and projections
years
21.7 years 20.0 years +8.2% 2023 UN Population Division
Healthy life expectancy
years
69.5 years 64.6 years +7.6% 2023 WHO
UHC service coverage
index from 0 to 100
89 88 +1 points 2023 WHO
Alcohol consumption
litres of pure alcohol per person aged 15+
9.58 litres 8.90 litres +7.6% 2024 WHO
Adult obesity
% of adults aged 18+
30.6% 41.0% −10.4 percentage points 2024 WHO
Hypertension
% of adults aged 30 to 79
29.3% 31.6% −2.3 percentage points 2019 WHO
Suicide rate
deaths per 100,000 people
12.6 per 100,000 people 13.3 per 100,000 people −0.7 per 100,000 people 2023 WHO
Premature NCD mortality
% probability
8.4% 12.6% −4.2 percentage points 2023 WHO
Physical inactivity
% of adults aged 18+
28.0% 36.4% −8.4 percentage points 2022 WHO
DTP3 immunisation
% of one-year-olds
92% 94% −2.0 percentage points 2025 WHO
Anaemia in women
% of women aged 15 to 49
11.1% 15.0% −3.9 percentage points 2023 WHO
Poisoning deaths
deaths per 100,000 people
0.1 per 100,000 people 0.4 per 100,000 people −0.3 per 100,000 people 2023 WHO
Nurses and midwives
per 10,000 people
144.3 per 10,000 people 123.9 per 10,000 people +20.4 per 10,000 people 2024 WHO
Dentists
per 10,000 people
6.52 per 10,000 people 5.89 per 10,000 people +0.63 per 10,000 people 2023 WHO
Life expectancy at birth
years
83.1 years 78.9 years +5.3% 2024 World Bank
Life expectancy at birth, women
years
85.1 years 81.4 years +4.5% 2024 World Bank
Life expectancy at birth, men
years
81.1 years 76.5 years +6.0% 2024 World Bank
Health spending share of GDP
% of GDP
10.4% 16.7% −6.3 percentage points 2023 World Bank
Under-five mortality rate
deaths per 1,000 live births
3.6 per 1,000 live births 6.5 per 1,000 live births −2.9 per 1,000 live births 2024 World Bank
Infant mortality rate
deaths per 1,000 live births
3.1 per 1,000 live births 5.5 per 1,000 live births −2.4 per 1,000 live births 2024 World Bank
Maternal mortality ratio
maternal deaths per 100,000 live births
2 per 100,000 live births 17 per 100,000 live births −15 per 100,000 live births 2023 World Bank
Physicians
physicians per 1,000 people
4.09 per 1,000 people 3.68 per 1,000 people +0.41 per 1,000 people 2022 World Bank
Hospital beds
beds per 1,000 people
3.8 per 1,000 people 2.7 per 1,000 people +1.1 per 1,000 people 2016 World Bank
Measles immunisation
% of children aged 12 to 23 months
91% 92% −1.0 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Tobacco use
% of adults aged 15 and over
11.6% 15.8% −4.2 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Out-of-pocket health spending
% of current health expenditure
15.8% 10.9% +4.9 percentage points 2023 World Bank
Health spending per person
current US dollars per person
US$6,980 per person US$13,473 per person −48.2% 2023 World Bank
Diabetes prevalence
% of population aged 20 to 79
7.4% 13.7% −6.3 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Neonatal mortality rate
deaths per 1,000 live births
2.3 per 1,000 live births 3.7 per 1,000 live births −1.4 per 1,000 live births 2024 World Bank
Tuberculosis incidence
new cases per 100,000 people
7 per 100,000 people 3 per 100,000 people +4 per 100,000 people 2024 World Bank

Internet and digital society

MeasureAustraliaUnited StatesAustralia compared with United StatesPeriodSource
Internet users
% of population
96.1% 94.7% +1.4 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Mobile subscriptions
subscriptions per 100 people
113 per 100 people 113 per 100 people −1 per 100 people 2024 World Bank
Fixed broadband subscriptions
subscriptions per 100 people
36.5 per 100 people 38.9 per 100 people −2.4 per 100 people 2024 World Bank

Business and industry

MeasureAustraliaUnited StatesAustralia compared with United StatesPeriodSource
Industry share of GDP
% of GDP
25.4% 17.6% +7.9 percentage points 2021 World Bank
Medium and high-tech manufacturing
% of manufacturing value added
28.6% 53.0% −24.4 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Manufacturing share of GDP
% of GDP
5.4% 10.5% −5.1 percentage points 2021 World Bank

Trade and investment

MeasureAustraliaUnited StatesAustralia compared with United StatesPeriodSource
Exports share of GDP
% of GDP
24.6% 11.0% +13.6 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Imports share of GDP
% of GDP
22.5% 14.0% +8.5 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Trade as a share of GDP
% of GDP
47.1% 25.0% +22.1 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Foreign direct investment inflows
% of GDP
2.1% 1.0% +1.1 percentage points 2025 World Bank
Current account balance
% of GDP
-2.8% -3.8% +1.1 percentage points 2025 World Bank
High-technology exports
% of manufactured exports
25.2% 24.3% +0.8 percentage points 2024 World Bank

Transport and mobility

MeasureAustraliaUnited StatesAustralia compared with United StatesPeriodSource
Road traffic deaths
deaths per 100,000 people
4.9 per 100,000 people 12.7 per 100,000 people −7.8 per 100,000 people 2019 World Bank
Air passengers carried
passengers
68,958,577 passengers 941,557,000 passengers −92.7% 2023 World Bank

Energy and electricity

MeasureAustraliaUnited StatesAustralia compared with United StatesPeriodSource
Access to electricity
% of population
100.0% 100.0% same 2024 World Bank
Clean cooking access
% of population
100.0% 100.0% same 2024 World Bank
Renewable energy share
% of total final energy consumption
12.3% 10.9% +1.4 percentage points 2021 World Bank
Fossil electricity share
% of total electricity production
62.5% 57.6% +4.9 percentage points 2025 World Bank
Net energy imports
% of energy use
-211.2% -9.8% −201.4 percentage points 2024 World Bank

Climate and emissions

MeasureAustraliaUnited StatesAustralia compared with United StatesPeriodSource
Temperature change
°C difference from the 1951 to 1980 average
1.40 °Ce (Estimated value) 1.76 °Ce (Estimated value) −0.36 °C 2025 FAOSTAT
Agrifood emissions per person
tonnes of CO2 equivalent per person
8.56 t CO2e per persone (Estimated value) 3.10 t CO2e per persone (Estimated value) +176.3% 2024 FAOSTAT
Total greenhouse gas emissions
million tonnes of CO2 equivalent
591.5 Mt CO2e 5,912.6 Mt CO2e −90.0% 2024 World Bank
Greenhouse gas emissions per person
tonnes of CO2 equivalent per person
21.7 t CO2e per person 17.4 t CO2e per person +25.1% 2024 World Bank
CO2 emissions per person
tonnes of CO2 per person
14.10 t CO2 per person 13.62 t CO2 per person +3.5% 2024 World Bank
Methane emissions
million tonnes of CO2 equivalent
144.6 Mt CO2e 843.4 Mt CO2e −82.9% 2024 World Bank
Nitrous oxide emissions
million tonnes of CO2 equivalent
50.81 Mt CO2e 215.60 Mt CO2e −76.4% 2024 World Bank

Air quality and ecosystems

MeasureAustraliaUnited StatesAustralia compared with United StatesPeriodSource
PM2.5 air pollution
micrograms per cubic metre
6.2 µg/m³ 9.8 µg/m³ −36.7% 2023 WHO
Forest area
% of land area
17.4% 33.8% −16.4 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Protected areas
% of total territorial area
33.5% 15.8% +17.7 percentage points 2025 World Bank
PM2.5 air pollution exposure
micrograms per cubic metre
6.4 µg/m³ 7.0 µg/m³ −7.9% 2023 World Bank
Terrestrial protected areas
% of land area
22.0% 12.9% +9.1 percentage points 2025 World Bank

Water, sanitation and waste

MeasureAustraliaUnited StatesAustralia compared with United StatesPeriodSource
Basic drinking water access
% of population
100.0% 100.0% 0 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Basic sanitation access
% of population
100.0% 99.6% +0.4 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Level of water stress
% of available freshwater resources
4.7% 28.2% −23.5 percentage points 2022 World Bank
Renewable internal freshwater per person
cubic metres per person
18,909 m³ per person 8,437 m³ per person +124.1% 2022 World Bank
Safely managed sanitation
% of population
95.8% 97.0% −1.2 percentage points 2024 World Bank

Agriculture, food and fisheries

MeasureAustraliaUnited StatesAustralia compared with United StatesPeriodSource
Cost of a healthy diet
international dollars (PPP) per person per day
Int$3.33 per person per daye (Estimated value) Int$2.86 per person per daye (Estimated value) +16.4% 2025 FAOSTAT
Healthy diet unaffordable
% of the population
3.2%e (Estimated value) 4.5%e (Estimated value) −1.3 percentage points 2025 FAOSTAT
Pesticide use
kg of active ingredients per hectare of cropland
1.92 kg/hae (Estimated value) 2.80 kg/hae (Estimated value) −31.4% 2017 FAOSTAT
Nitrogen fertiliser use
kg of nitrogen (N) per hectare of cropland
78.3 kg/hae (Estimated value) 59.1 kg/hae (Estimated value) +32.5% 2024 FAOSTAT
Agriculture share of GDP
% of GDP
2.3% 0.9% +1.4 percentage points 2021 World Bank
Cereal yield
kilograms per hectare
2,690 kg per hectare 8,414 kg per hectare −68.0% 2024 World Bank
Agricultural land
% of land area
47.3% 46.1% +1.2 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Capture fisheries production
metric tonnes
227,277 tonnes 4,213,780 tonnes −94.6% 2024 World Bank
Prevalence of undernourishment
% of population
2.5% 2.5% same 2024 World Bank
Food production index
index, 2014 to 2016 = 100
122.5 (2014-16 = 100) 104.1 (2014-16 = 100) +17.6% 2024 World Bank
Fertiliser use
kilograms per hectare of arable land
151.2 kg per hectare 127.8 kg per hectare +18.3% 2024 World Bank
Land area
square kilometres
7,688,287 km² 9,147,420 km² −16.0% 2024 World Bank

Poverty and social protection

MeasureAustraliaUnited StatesAustralia compared with United StatesPeriodSource
Gini index
Gini index, 0 to 100
33.8 (0 to 100) 40.0 (0 to 100) −6.2 points 2020 World Bank
Income share held by the richest 10%
% of total income or consumption
25.9% 29.7% −3.8 percentage points 2020 World Bank
Extreme poverty rate
% of population
0.9% 0.4% +0.5 percentage points 2020 World Bank
Poverty rate at $4.20 a day (2021 PPP)
% of population
1.1% 0.5% +0.6 percentage points 2020 World Bank
Poverty rate at $8.30 a day (2021 PPP)
% of population
1.5% 1.4% +0.1 percentage points 2020 World Bank

Government finance and taxation

MeasureAustraliaUnited StatesAustralia compared with United StatesPeriodSource
Tax revenue
% of GDP
23.6% 12.6% +11.0 percentage points 2022 World Bank
Central government expense
% of GDP
27.6% 24.6% +3.0 percentage points 2022 World Bank

Science and innovation

MeasureAustraliaUnited StatesAustralia compared with United StatesPeriodSource
R&D spending share of GDP
% of GDP
1.86% 3.47% −1.61 percentage points 2021 World Bank
Researchers per million people
researchers per million people
4,569 per million people 3,644 per million people +925 per million people 2010 World Bank
Scientific and technical journal articles
articles, fractional count
54,589 articles 430,843 articles −87.3% 2023 World Bank

Crime, justice and public safety

MeasureAustraliaUnited StatesAustralia compared with United StatesPeriodSource
Intentional homicides
victims per 100,000 people
0.9 per 100,000 people 5.8 per 100,000 people −4.9 per 100,000 people 2023 World Bank

Culture, society and wellbeing

MeasureAustraliaUnited StatesAustralia compared with United StatesPeriodSource
Women in national parliament
% of seats in the single or lower chamber
46.0% 28.9% +17.1 percentage points 2025 World Bank

The difference column shows Australia compared with United States: in percentage points for percentages, in the same unit for rates per population and index values, and in percent for other measures.

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