A lot of people underestimate just how transformative U.S. statehood (or close integration) would be for Greenland’s economy and everyday life. When you look at wages, prices, infrastructure, and long-term opportunity, the gap between Greenland’s current system and the U.S. system is enormous—and joining the U.S. would realistically raise living standards by multiples, not marginal percentages.
- Much Higher Wages and Job Opportunities
The United States has one of the highest median disposable incomes in the world. Even in relatively remote U.S. states like Alaska, wages are far higher than in Greenland due to:
A much larger private sector
Strong labor demand
Massive federal spending and contracts
Resource development (energy, mining, logistics, defense)
Greenland already has valuable resources and strategic importance, but lacks capital and market scale. Under the U.S., investment would explode—ports, mining, energy, construction, shipping, and military infrastructure all bring high-paying American-level wages, not small local salaries.
Many Greenlanders today rely heavily on public-sector employment and subsidies. U.S. integration would shift this toward real private-sector growth, which is where long-term wealth actually comes from.
- Lower Taxes, More Take-Home Pay
Greenland’s tax burden is very high compared to the U.S., especially relative to income levels. In the U.S.:
Income taxes are generally lower
No national VAT (which heavily inflates prices in Greenland)
Many states have no state income tax at all
Broader tax base means individuals carry less burden
The result? More money in people’s pockets, even before accounting for higher wages.
- Dramatically Cheaper Food, Goods, Fuel, and Services
One of the biggest quality-of-life improvements would be cost of living.
The U.S. benefits from:
Massive internal competition
Continental-scale logistics networks
Extremely efficient agriculture and manufacturing
Cheap energy and fuel
Greenland’s prices are high largely because of isolation, limited suppliers, and small scale. Under U.S. systems:
Food prices would drop significantly
Fuel and electricity would be cheaper
Consumer goods would cost a fraction of current prices
Healthcare services would be more available and modern
Even Alaska—remote and harsh—has far lower prices and far greater product availability than Greenland today.
- World-Class Infrastructure Investment
The U.S. federal government spends trillions on infrastructure, especially in strategic regions. Greenland’s location alone would justify:
Modern airports and ports
Roads and transportation networks
High-speed internet and telecom
Energy systems built for growth, not survival
This isn’t theoretical—every U.S. state receives massive federal funding far beyond what Greenland currently gets through Denmark.
- Better Healthcare, Education, and Services
While the U.S. system is often criticized, the actual outcomes in terms of access to advanced care, specialists, technology, and research far exceed what Greenland currently has.
Integration would mean:
Access to U.S. medical networks
Better-equipped hospitals
Expanded higher education options
Federal support programs for housing, families, and development
Small, isolated systems simply cannot compete with the scale of U.S. institutions.
- Long-Term Economic Security Instead of Dependency
Today, Greenland’s economy is heavily dependent on external subsidies. That creates stagnation. U.S. integration would replace this with:
Market-driven growth
Global investment
Strategic importance that guarantees long-term funding
Real upward mobility for younger generations
This is the difference between surviving and thriving.
Bottom Line
If Greenland joined the United States, the average person would:
Earn significantly more
Pay less in taxes relative to income
Spend far less on necessities
Have access to better services and infrastructure
Gain long-term economic security and opportunity
This wouldn’t be a small improvement—it would be a massive leap in standard of living, similar to the difference between a small subsidized economy and one of the most powerful economic systems ever created.
People often talk about culture and identity, but quality of life matters too—and on that front, the benefits are overwhelmingly clear.
Very nice statement! It needs to be sent to all the residents of Greenland, perhaps an advertisement in their newspaper, or a full big article by a news paper writer in Greenland. Perhaps drop leaflets over all the populated areas of Greenland.
Not that this applies to present day Greenland; the best thing that ever happened to Japan, Italy and Germany after their defeat was the imprint of the United States.
The population of Greenland is tiny. TINY. For such a huge swash of land, there is hardly anybody living there. They don't even have roads between their two cities. I can imagine a bunch of people from the mainland moving there, not to mention the military, and things changing pretty drastically for the population. in some ways, better, but in some ways, worse. I image they lead a pretty low key life now, and that could change dramatically with the influx of people and military. Still the majority of Greenlanders want to join America.
Spinnin rims alone....
I'm sure we can all agree American healthcare is shitty, why would they want that?
American healthcare is superior in comparison to European and especially in comparison to Danish healthcare.
Americans pay twice the price per capita as Europeans. Why would they want to pay double to rich middle-men for the same service?
I can only speak for Greece but, despite run down buildings/infrastructure and lack of doctors, the actual healthcare (including dental) is excellent. I can visit a GP and get seen within 20 minutes on average and, where necessary, referred to a specialist immediately.
Today, our medical infrastructure is overrun by illegals and welfare recipients. They get free care, and go for everything, even common colds, etc.
I am sure it is as bad, or worse, in Europe today. They have been pretty much conquered by foreigners overwhelming their services.