Updated 25 October 2026
Quick answer: In the United States in 2026, the minimum wage is $7.25/hour (about $1,257 a month full time); an average earner keeps 76% of their pay after income tax and social security; mortgage rates are about 7.32%; household electricity costs 18.3¢ per kWh; petrol is $4.28/gal, up 45.9% since February. The table below puts 10 everyday money measures for the United States side by side and ranks each one against the other countries in our data, using official figures from national statistics offices, central banks, the OECD and Eurostat.
Most comparisons of the United States look at one number at a time. This page gathers the figures that matter for working, buying a home, paying bills and retiring in the United States, so you can see them together and see how the United States compares. Each section links to our full guide for that topic, which covers every country and lists the original sources, and each dataset can be downloaded free.
The United States at a Glance
| Measure | United States | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage | $7.25/hour (≈ $1,257/month) | 16th highest of 38 |
| Tax on an average wage | 24.3% (keeps 76%) | 16th lowest of 38 |
| Pay rise forecast 2027 | 3.4% (inflation 3.7%) | 14th highest of 29 |
| Mortgage rate | 7.32% (30-year fixed, 22 Oct 2026) | 3rd highest of 31 |
| Electricity (household) | 18.3¢/kWh (≈ $0.18) | 6th lowest of 33 |
| Petrol price | $4.28/gal (+45.9% since Feb) | Lowest of 29 |
| State pension age | 67 | Highest of 39 |
| Pension (share of pay) | 51.3% of net pay | 13th lowest of 50 |
| Bank deposit protection | $250,000 per person, per bank | — |
| Inheritance tax (children) | top rate 40% | — |
Rank compares the United States with the other countries in each dataset; "highest" means the largest value. "—" means the measure isn't ranked.
Minimum Wage in the United States (2026)
The legal minimum wage in the United States is $7.25/hour. For a month of full-time work that is about $1,257 at current exchange rates, 16th highest of 38 countries in our comparison. $7.25 an hour, unchanged since 2009; 30 states and DC set higher rates, up to $17.13 in Washington state.
Full table for every country, with sources: Minimum Wage by Country 2026: Hourly and Monthly Rates in US Dollars. Download the data (CSV).
Income Tax and Take-Home Pay in the United States
A single worker on the average wage in the United States (about $74,000 at purchasing-power parity) pays 24.3% of gross pay in income tax and employee social security, so they keep 76%. That is 16th lowest of 38 countries, against an OECD average of 25.1%.
Income tax and employee social security take 24.3% of pay at the average wage, 21.4% at two-thirds of it and 29.2% at 1.67 times it. Including employer contributions, the total tax wedge is 30.0% of labour costs.
Full table for every country, with sources: Income Tax by Country 2026: How Much of Your Salary You Keep in 38 Countries. Download the data (CSV).
Pay Rises in the United States: 2027 Forecast
Employers in the United States expect to raise salaries by 3.4% in 2027 (median of the major pay surveys), after 3.4% in 2026. With inflation at 3.7% (Sep), that is a real cut of about 0.3 points unless inflation falls.
Full table for every country, with sources: Salary Increase Forecasts 2027 by Country: Every Major Survey in One Table. Download the data (CSV).
Mortgage Rates in the United States (2026)
The typical mortgage rate in the United States is 7.32% (30-year fixed, 22 Oct 2026), 3rd highest of 31 countries.
Freddie Mac average; up from 5.98% in late February. Per $100,000 over 30 years: $687 a month.
Full table for every country, with sources: Mortgage Rates by Country 2026: Where Buying a Home Costs the Most. Download the data (CSV).
Electricity Prices in the United States
Households in the United States pay about 18.3¢ per kWh of electricity (about $0.18), 6th cheapest of 33 countries. Basis: National average, July 2026.
EIA average residential price, up 4.9% on a year earlier; ranges from about 11¢ to over 40¢ by state.
Full table for every country, with sources: Electricity Prices by Country 2026: What Households Pay per kWh, and What the Iran War Means for Bills. Download the data (CSV).
Petrol Prices in the United States Since the Iran War
Petrol in the United States costs $4.28/gal (week of 19 October 2026), up 45.9% from $2.94/gal in the week before the Iran war began. It peaked at $4.50/gal (11 May). At about $1.13 a litre it is the cheapest of 29 countries we compare, and the rise is the largest of 29 countries we compare.
Full table for every country, with sources: Petrol Prices Since the Iran War: How Much They Have Risen in 35 Countries. Download the data (CSV).
Retirement Age in the United States
The state pension age in the United States is 67 for people reaching it in 2026; the earliest you can claim is 62 (reduced). Future change: none legislated. Full retirement age is 67 for anyone born in 1960 or later. Each year you delay up to 70 adds 8% to the benefit.
Full table for every country, with sources: Retirement Age by Country 2026: State Pension Ages in 39 Countries. Download the data (CSV).
How Much the State Pension Pays in the United States
A full-career average earner in the United States can expect a mandatory pension worth about 51.3% of their previous net pay, 13th least generous of 50 countries (OECD average 63.2%). Low earner (half the average wage): 62%. High earner (twice the average): 40%. Including common voluntary private pensions, an average earner would get 101%.
Full table for every country, with sources: State Pension Amounts by Country 2026: How Much Retirees Actually Get. Download the data (CSV).
How Much of Your Money Is Protected in the United States
Bank deposits in the United States are protected up to $250,000 per depositor, per bank, under the FDIC scheme. Per ownership category; joint and retirement accounts insured separately. Money in payment apps and e-money wallets is usually not covered.
Full table for every country, with sources: Deposit Insurance Limits by Country 2026: How Much of Your Money Is Protected. Download the data (CSV).
Inheritance Tax in the United States
The United States has federal estate tax. Children can receive $15 million per person tax-free, and the top rate for children is 40%, 5th highest of 28 countries. Exemption made permanent and indexed by the 2025 tax law; about a dozen states and DC add their own estate or inheritance taxes.
Full table for every country, with sources: Inheritance Tax by Country 2026: Thresholds, Rates and Who Pays. Download the data (CSV).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum wage in the United States in 2026?
The minimum wage in the United States is $7.25/hour, about $1,257 a month for full-time work. That is 16th highest of 38 countries. $7.25 an hour, unchanged since 2009; 30 states and DC set higher rates, up to $17.13 in Washington state.
How much tax do you pay in the United States?
On the average wage, income tax plus employee social security in the United States take 24.3% of gross pay, so a single worker keeps 76% (OECD average: 25.1%).
What is the average pay rise in the United States for 2027?
Pay surveys forecast an average salary increase of 3.4% in the United States for 2027, against inflation of 3.7%.
What are mortgage rates in the United States right now?
Mortgage rates in the United States are about 7.32% (30-year fixed, 22 Oct 2026). Freddie Mac average; up from 5.98% in late February. Per $100,000 over 30 years: $687 a month.
How much does electricity cost in the United States?
Household electricity in the United States costs about 18.3¢ per kWh (about $0.18), 6th cheapest of 33 countries.
How much has petrol gone up in the United States?
Petrol in the United States has risen 45.9% since February 2026, from $2.94/gal to $4.28/gal.
What is the retirement age in the United States?
The state pension age in the United States is 67 in 2026, with the earliest claim at 62 (reduced). Legislated change: None legislated.
How much is the state pension in the United States?
In the United States, mandatory pensions replace about 51.3% of an average earner's net pay after a full career, against an OECD average of 63.2%.
How much money is insured in a bank in the United States?
Deposits in the United States are insured up to $250,000 per person, per bank.
Is there inheritance tax in the United States?
Yes. Children can inherit $15 million per person tax-free in the United States; above that the top rate for children is 40%.
Compare the United States With Other Countries
See every country side by side in Compare Countries 2026: Minimum Wage, Tax, Mortgage Rates, Energy and Pension Age in 35 Countries, or open a country page: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom.
Related Guides
- Minimum Wage by Country 2026: Hourly and Monthly Rates in US Dollars
- Income Tax by Country 2026: How Much of Your Salary You Keep in 38 Countries
- Salary Increase Forecasts 2027 by Country: Every Major Survey in One Table
- Mortgage Rates by Country 2026: Where Buying a Home Costs the Most
- Electricity Prices by Country 2026: What Households Pay per kWh, and What the Iran War Means for Bills
- Petrol Prices Since the Iran War: How Much They Have Risen in 35 Countries
- Retirement Age by Country 2026: State Pension Ages in 39 Countries
- State Pension Amounts by Country 2026: How Much Retirees Actually Get
- Deposit Insurance Limits by Country 2026: How Much of Your Money Is Protected
- Inheritance Tax by Country 2026: Thresholds, Rates and Who Pays
- How Much Emergency Fund Do You Need? (With Calculator)
Figures checked against the official sources listed in each linked guide in October 2026. Exchange-rate conversions are approximate. This page is for information and isn't financial or legal advice.
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