<P> The standard of living in the United States is high by the standards that most economists use, and for many decades throughout the 20th century, the United States was recognized as having the highest standard of living in the world . Per capita income is high but also less evenly distributed than in most other developed countries; as a result, the United States fares particularly well in measures of average material well being that do not place weight on equality aspects . </P> <P> In the United Nations Human Development Index, which measures health, education, and per capita income levels, the United States is relatively high, currently ranking 8th . However, the Human Development Index is not considered a measure of living standards, but a measure of potential living standards were there no inequality: rather, the inequality - adjusted Human Development Index is considered the actual level of human development, taking inequality into account . On the inequality - adjusted HDI, the United States ranked 27th in 2014, tied with Poland . </P> <P> In 2013, the Economist Intelligence Unit's Where - to - be-born Index, which takes into account material well - being as measured by GDP per capita, life expectancy, political stability, the quality of family life based on divorce rates, community life, crime and terrorism rates, gender equality, the quality of governance, climate, and unemployment rates, ranked the United States at 16th place, tied with Germany . </P>

Who sets the standard for the united states
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