Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Michigan instead of Laos, you would:
Health
be 3.9 times more likely to be obese
In Laos, 9.2% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Michigan, that number is 36.0% of people as of 2022.
Economy
be 15.3% less likely to live below the poverty line
In Laos, 15.0% live below the poverty line as of 2024. In Michigan, however, that number is 12.7% as of 2023.
make 23.9 times more money
Laos has a GDP per capita of $2,325 as of 2025, while in Michigan, the GDP per capita is $55,508 as of 2024.
be 4.0 times more likely to be unemployed
In Laos, 1.2% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Michigan, that number is 4.8% as of 2025.
Basic Needs
be 36.3% more likely to have internet access
In Laos, approximately 65.6% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Michigan, about 89.4% do as of 2023.
Sources: World Bank (2024–2025), US Census Bureau (American Community Survey) (2023), World Health Organization (2024), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES) (2022), Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025), Bureau of Economic Analysis (2024). How we calculate this
