Have you ever wondered which U.S. states resemble countries more closely than others? The Country – US State Comparisons are designed to quantify just that — measuring how similar each U.S. state is to different countries around the world relative to the United States. This index provides a data-driven way to make those comparisons. It equally weights five major factors: demographics, culture, politics, technology, and geography. Over 1,000 different data points are used to generate the results.
Top 10 Countries More Similar to North Carolina than the US
North Carolina has a warmer climate than most areas of the United States. It has a high percentage of people with African ancestry. As a result, the countries that are much more similar to North Carolina than the United States overall all have populations with predominately African ancestry. Four of the five have tropical climates.
- The Bahamas and North Carolina are known for beautiful beaches and expansive wetlands. They also have histories that are deeply shaped by slavery. As a result, both have a high percentage of people with African ancestry. In addition, the vast majority of their people are Protestant Christian.
- Guyana is another former colony where the British enslaved many people. However, it is in South America. North Carolina and Guyana have a similar percentage of married people. Their governments have few laws in place protecting the rights of their workers. Both allow abortion and rarely implement the death penalty.
- Togo is located in West Africa. Both places have a mix of rural and urban areas. Togo and North Carolina have a similar rate of suicide and homicide. Family size and birth rates are higher in Togo, but both have strong church communities and conservative social values.
- Namibia is in Southern Africa. Like North Carolina, the vast majority of their people are Protestant Christian. A relatively high percentage of their people smoke tobacco as well. While Namibia is far less densely populated, both places face history tied to colonialism and segregation. However, Namibia’s climate is much drier than North Carolina’s.
- Zambia is yet another Sub-Saharan African country on this list. Over 95% of its population identifies as Christian, mirroring North Carolina’s strong religious culture. Zambia’s median age is young, similar to North Carolina’s historically youthful demographics among its African American communities.
- Central African Republic, 7. Guinea-Bissau, 8. Jamaica, 9. Uganda, 10. Liberia
Top 10 Countries Less Similar to North Carolina than the US
The countries with the least amount of traits in common with North Carolina compared to the United States overall have populations with either East Asian or European ancestry. Their infrastructure tends to be more developed as well. Furthermore, most of these countries are less conservative politically than North Carolina.
- Canada is located to the north of the United States and has a much colder climate than North Carolina. In addition, Canadians tend to be more liberal than people in North Carolina. Canada invests more in equitable public education and has more laws protecting the rights of workers.
- Australia has a much drier climate than North Carolina. In addition, Australia provides public healthcare and a broader welfare state, while North Carolina relies more on market forces and charity. However, both are known for their beautiful beaches.
- China diverges significantly from North Carolina via its vast landmass and megacities with high-speed rail—none of which parallel North Carolina’s democratic institutions, diverse population, or midsize post-industrial cities.
- New Zealand is one of the most progressive, secular, egalitarian countries in the world, while North Carolina is more conservative and religious. In addition, it has few people with African ancestry, in contrast to North Carolina.
- Taiwan is another East Asian country with little in common with North Carolina. It is a small, densely populated island that borders the Pacific Ocean. Its economy is dominated by high-tech industry and global trade, in contrast to North Carolina.
- Argentina, 7. Chile, 8. Mexico, 9. United Arab Emirates, 10. Switzerland
Full Ranking of Countries and Territories More Similar to North Carolina than the US
All data accurate as of 2025.