“We’re No. 18” isn’t a particularly inspirational chant.
But that’s the U.S. ranking in the 2022 Natixis Global Retirement Index, which includes 44 countries.
The Index from Natixis, the Paris wealth-management firm, includes several subindexes, including health, quality of life, material well-being and finances in retirement.
The top 10 countries for retirement are:
1. Norway
2. Switzerland
3. Iceland
4. Ireland
5. Australia
6. New Zealand
7. Luxembourg
8. Netherlands
9. Denmark
10. Czech Republic
Slight Ranking Drop
The U.S. ranking dipped from 17th last year but represents an improvement from 23rd in 2012.
The slide from last year stemmed from lower scores in Material Well-Being (ranked 30th) and Finances (ranked 11th) subindexes.
The lower Material Well-Being score resulted from worse numbers for unemployment and income-equality indicators. The U.S. has the sixth highest score for income per capita but the seventh-lowest for income equality.
As for Finances, the lower subindex score this year stems from falling scores in tax pressure, bank loans not earnings interest, old-age dependency and governance indicators.
To be sure, the U.S. ranked eighth in nonperforming bank loans and 10th in interest rates. But it registered the sixth-lowest score for government indebtedness.
The U.S. placed 17th in the Health subindex, unchanged from last year. Its score improved on the health front because of a higher score for life expectancy.
No. 1 in ... Something
The U.S. did rank No. 1 for health expenditures per capita and fourth highest for insured health expenditures.
Of course, critics of the U.S. health-care system would question the results of all this spending. Plenty of Americans are unhealthy. And the U.S. ranks a desultory 31st in life expectancy.
The U.S. lifted its score in the Quality of Life subindex due to improvement in environmental factors and happiness indicators.
Despite the improved score, the U.S. placed 21st in the category, unchanged from last year.
It has the ninth lowest score for environmental factors.
The U.S. placed 11th in the Finances in Retirement subindex.
