Sweden vs United States: Threshold income per month marking the poorest decile, the median, and the richest decile (after tax)
Sweden
1,362 international-$ in 2021 prices
in 2023
United States
1,439 international-$ in 2021 prices
in 2024
Sweden rank
16th
United States rank
13th
Threshold income per month marking the poorest decile, the median, and the richest decile (after tax) over time
- Sweden
- United States
How they compare
United States currently reports 1,439 international-$ in 2021 prices against 1,362 international-$ in 2021 prices in Sweden, a difference of 77 international-$ in 2021 prices.
That makes United States's figure about 1.1 times Sweden's.
The two have swapped places 4 times across 42 shared years of data; in 1975 it was United States ahead.
Sweden ranks 16th and United States ranks 13th of 47 countries.
Across the 6 decades both report, Sweden averaged higher in 1 and United States in 5.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Sweden | United States | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 749.45 international-$ in 2021 prices | 1,020 international-$ in 2021 prices | 270.69 international-$ in 2021 prices | United States |
| 1980s | 860.33 international-$ in 2021 prices | 1,048 international-$ in 2021 prices | 187.43 international-$ in 2021 prices | United States |
| 1990s | 998.59 international-$ in 2021 prices | 1,121 international-$ in 2021 prices | 121.92 international-$ in 2021 prices | United States |
| 2000s | 1,171 international-$ in 2021 prices | 1,217 international-$ in 2021 prices | 45.35 international-$ in 2021 prices | United States |
| 2010s | 1,316 international-$ in 2021 prices | 1,276 international-$ in 2021 prices | 40.16 international-$ in 2021 prices | Sweden |
| 2020s | 1,392 international-$ in 2021 prices | 1,500 international-$ in 2021 prices | 108.38 international-$ in 2021 prices | United States |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher threshold income per month marking the poorest decile, the median, and the richest decile (after tax), Sweden or United States?
- United States, at 1,439 international-$ in 2021 prices against 1,362 international-$ in 2021 prices in Sweden as of 2024.
- What is the difference in threshold income per month marking the poorest decile, the median, and the richest decile (after tax) between Sweden and United States?
- 77 international-$ in 2021 prices, with United States ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Sweden and United States?
- 42 years are reported by both, from 1975 to 2023.
- How do Sweden and United States rank globally for threshold income per month marking the poorest decile, the median, and the richest decile (after tax)?
- Sweden ranks 16th and United States ranks 13th of 47 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Luxembourg Income Study (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as Threshold income per month marking the poorest decile, the median, and the richest decile (after tax). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Level of income per month below which 10% of the population falls.