United States vs Canada
Side-by-side economic and demographic comparison · 2026 data · Source: IMF & World Bank
The United States and Canada share the world's longest undefended border and one of the deepest bilateral trading relationships on Earth. The US economy is roughly 12 times larger than Canada's, but Canada's GDP per capita is competitive — about 75% of the American level. Canada's economy is more resource-dependent (oil, minerals, timber) while the US is more diversified. Both countries face similar demographic trends, though Canada has used immigration more aggressively to offset aging, with the highest immigration rate per capita in the G7.
United States has a GDP of $32.38T compared to Canada's $2.51T, making it 12.9x larger. United States's population is 341.8M vs Canada's 41.7M. Across 12 key indicators, United States leads in 8 categories. All data sourced from the IMF World Economic Outlook and World Bank World Development Indicators.
| Indicator |  United States |  Canada |
|---|---|---|
| GDP (USD) | $32.38T✓ | $2.51T |
| GDP per Capita | $94,430✓ | $60,305 |
| GDP Growth (%) | 2.3%✓ | 1.5% |
| GDP per Capita (PPP) | $94,430✓ | $70,006 |
| Population | 341.8M✓ | 41.7M |
| Life Expectancy | 78.9 years | 82.1 years✓ |
| Inflation (%) | 3.2% | 2.5%✓ |
| Unemployment (%) | 4.4%✓ | 6.5% |
| Govt Debt (% GDP) | 125.8% | 110.7%✓ |
| Fertility Rate | 1.6✓ | 1.3 |
| Gini Index | 41.8 | 31.5✓ |
| CO₂ per Capita (t) | 13.6✓ | 14 |
Summary
United States has a GDP of $32.38T compared to Canada's $2.51T, making the former economy 12.9x larger. In terms of population, United States has 341.8M people while Canada has 41.7M. Across the 12 indicators compared, United States leads in 8 and Canada leads in 4.
Why sources report different numbers
The IMF, World Bank and United Nations each publish these series on their own release schedule. Where their figures differ, the reason is usually visible in the reference year rather than in the methodology.
| Source | United States | Canada |
|---|---|---|
| IMF | $32.38T2026 | $2.51T2026 |
| World Bank | $30.77T2025 | $2.32T2025 |
| United Nations | $29.30T2024 | $2.27T2024 |
These are not the same reference year. IMF publishes 2026 and United Nations publishes 2024 — each is the latest that publisher has released, on its own schedule. A figure for a year still in progress is a projection rather than an outturn. United States spans about 11% across 2 years; Canada spans about 10% across 2 years.
| Source | United States | Canada |
|---|---|---|
| IMF | $94,4302026 | $60,3052026 |
| World Bank | $90,0272025 | $55,6982025 |
| United Nations | $84,8172024 | $57,1202024 |
These are not the same reference year. IMF publishes 2026 and United Nations publishes 2024 — each is the latest that publisher has released, on its own schedule. A figure for a year still in progress is a projection rather than an outturn. United States spans about 11% across 2 years; Canada spans about 8% across 1 year.
Figures are reproduced as published by each source, converted to a common unit, with each publisher's own reference year shown. Differences are described, not adjudicated — no source is presented as more correct than another.
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