Try Sweden (Score 1)

I lived 15 years in the US and have now lived 4 years in Sweden. Couldn't be happier despite having spent 6 years previously living high life in NYC. Me and my wife loved NYC but got offered a within the company to the headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden. We wanted to start a family and Sweden is by far the most family friendly country on earth. i have a nice job and had a very high compensation package in NYC. I earn about the same here with a little higher taxes. But my income is considered obscenely high over here. Taxes are a bit higher than NYC but not significant. I paid around 40-45 % in NYc and pay a few percent more over here. For that money I got noting in the US, except of course living in lovely NYC. Some of the things i like over here: -One of the highest living standards in the world. And not only for the rich. -High life quality. People here work to live, not live to work. Combining family, children, career,and life in general works very well. -6 weeks vacation. Do I need to say more? -Free health care forever. I can afford to pay for private insurance but most people can't. I now have kids and really like to see that everyone has access to top notch doctors -Parental leave. 480 days PAID leave per child. My company even pays above the government ceiling and gives me 85% of my real salary. This has enabled me to take 5 months off with my first son and I plan on doing the same with my newborn daughter. I can't tell you what a difference it makes to spend time early on with your children. If you don't have kids you'll probably think this item is stupid:-)) -Free and great education. Everything from day care to university is free (day care has a small cost but you get it back in a check from the government) That means even the average person is fairly well educated and the difference compared to the US is unbelievable. People unable to read or write here is unheard of. 99% here speak good English, in addition to Swedish, which makes it easy for any foreigner to fit it. -Safe, beautiful nature, gorgeous women, high tech society. There is no such thing as a downtown or ghetto in the country. Everything is clean and high tech. No buildings falling down, there's a bike lane on virtually every road, and the air is ridiculously clean wherever you go. -Income taxes are a little higher than NYC and so are other consumer taxes. Gas, tobacco,and alcohol taxes are high. Not high enough I think. If the price of gas doubles I won't complain. Because gas is more expensive we've learned how to live with it and are not as stupidly dependent on oil as US. I have a very high income and do pay some extra for those less fortunate but I think it's worth it. It leads to less problems in society in the long run when people are less needy and desperate When you have kids and family things change a bit. If you're single and 25, NYC is probably the place to be. Great city. But a little later you might want to be able to combine your career with seeing the kids and have a high quality life. Sweden is then the place. Other good choices would be Norway and perhaps Denmark. AD http://www.adventuredad.com/