According to AARO data, around 5.4 million Americans currently live abroad, with migration patterns shifting post-pandemic. The pandemic has led to a reevaluation of what constitutes a good life, focusing less on GDP and more on personal happiness and well-being. A 2025 Forbes survey indicates that 17% of Americans plan to move abroad in the next five years. The article critiques GDP as an insufficient measure of success, emphasizing the importance of factors like healthcare access, work-life balance, community acceptance, and safety for expatriates choosing where to live.
GDP has been the go-to measure of a country's success... But there's a problem: GDP was never meant to reflect how people live.
Sweta Saxena noted, 'We need to move beyond GDP to capture the aspects of our lives that are more important.'
Many now prioritize access to healthcare, life expectancy, work-life balance, or social trust when choosing where to live.
The pandemic reshaped how people think about quality of life, as 'best' now means feeling balanced, supported, and free.
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