Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Belgium instead of Kentucky, you would:

Health

be 45.4% less likely to be obese

In Kentucky, 38.2% of adults are obese as of 2022. In Belgium, that number is 20.9% of people as of 2024.

View global rankings →

Economy

be 20.1% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Kentucky, 15.4% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Belgium, however, that number is 12.3% as of 2022.

View global rankings →

make 21.2% more money

Kentucky has a GDP per capita of $50,135 as of 2024, while in Belgium, the GDP per capita is $60,750 as of 2025.

View global rankings →

be 68.9% more likely to be unemployed

In Kentucky, 3.5% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Belgium, that number is 5.9% as of 2025.

View global rankings →

Sources: World Bank (2022–2025), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES) (2022), World Health Organization (2024), Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025), US Census Bureau (American Community Survey) (2023), Bureau of Economic Analysis (2024). How we calculate this

Compare further: Kentucky vs. Belgium

Cost of Living Comparison · 7 categories - 2026 data
Belgium is 2.7% more expensive than Kentucky
→
Size Comparison · See true size
Kentucky is about 3.4 times bigger than Belgium.
→
Moving from Kentucky to Belgium · Cost, visas & climate
Compare cost of living, salary and climate.
→

Belgium: At a glance

Belgium is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 30,278 sq km. Belgium became independent from the Netherlands in 1830; it was occupied by Germany during World Wars I and II. The country prospered in the past half century as a modern, technologically advanced European state and member of NATO and the EU. Political divisions between the Dutch-speaking Flemings of the north and the French-speaking Walloons of the south have led in recent years to constitutional amendments granting these regions formal recognition and autonomy. Its capital, Brussels, is home to numerous international organizations including the EU and NATO.
Read more

How big is Belgium compared to Kentucky? See an in-depth size comparison.

Share this

Ask the Elsewhere Community

Join the Elsewhere community and ask a question about Belgium or United States. It's a free, question-and-answer based forum to discuss what life is like in countries and cities around the world.