Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Iceland instead of Washington, you would:

Health

be 28.6% less likely to be obese

In Washington, 31.1% of adults are obese as of 2022. In Iceland, that number is 22.2% of people as of 2024.

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Economy

be 31.7% less likely to be unemployed

In Washington, 5.3% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Iceland, that number is 3.6% as of 2025.

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make 12.0% more money

Washington has a GDP per capita of $87,768 as of 2024, while in Iceland, the GDP per capita is $98,323 as of 2025.

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

Compare further: Washington vs. Iceland

Cost of Living Comparison · 7 categories - 2026 data
Iceland is 20.6% more expensive than Washington
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Size Comparison · See true size
Washington is about 1.7 times bigger than Iceland.
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Moving from Washington to Iceland · Cost, visas & climate
Compare cost of living, salary and climate.
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Iceland: At a glance

Iceland is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 100,250 sq km. Settled by Norwegian and Celtic (Scottish and Irish) immigrants during the late 9th and 10th centuries A.D., Iceland boasts the world's oldest functioning legislative assembly, the Althing, established in 930. Independent for over 300 years, Iceland was subsequently ruled by Norway and Denmark. Fallout from the Askja volcano of 1875 devastated the Icelandic economy and caused widespread famine. Over the next quarter century, 20% of the island's population emigrated, mostly to Canada and the US. Denmark granted limited home rule in 1874 and complete independence in 1944. The second half of the 20th century saw substantial economic growth driven primarily by the fishing industry. The economy diversified greatly after the country joined the European Economic Area in 1994, but Iceland was especially hard hit by the global financial crisis in the years following 2008. Literacy, longevity, and social cohesion are first rate by world standards.
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How big is Iceland compared to Washington? See an in-depth size comparison.

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