A student is comparing the standards of living between the four countries listed below. What other factors would be the most important for the student to add?

Total Population

GDP

?

?

United States

313.2 million

14.66 trillion

New Zealand

4.290 million

140.4 billion

Denmark

5.529 million

310.8 billion

Cayman Islands

51.0 thousand

2.25 billion

Available housing and birth rates

Military strength and international aid rates

Foreign investment and U.N. membership

Literacy rates and geography

These are the factors that the student should look at when comparing the standards of living between the different countries. Available housing is important because when housing is not easily available, many people end up homeless, living in houses that are not suitable for their needs or spending a high percentage of their income in housing. Birth rates are important because when the rate is too high, this might mean that women are not welcome in the workforce or that they have no access to family planning. If the rate is too low, it might mean that people are overworked or that policies are not sympathetic to young parents.