I don't accept the assumptions that they make.  Also, that compares the entire US to individual European nations.  If we have to include Michigan and West Virginia in the averages, you should have to include Latvia, Estonia and the Ukraine.  Compare Apples to apples, buck.  Where do you live in Europe, and how does that compare to my state of Kentucky.  Shouldn't be that hard, since Kentucky is in the lower half of the states, but I would still find the comparisions interesting.  Mostly in what Europeans consider to be high on the list of features that add up to a "standard of living".  Compared to myself, personally, you have a near zero chance of having a higher standard of living, but then I make quite a bit more than the average Kentuckian.