Side by side
the European Union and Sweden
The same question asked of every column. Numbers that break down by age or sex follow the controls; the rest stay country-wide and say so.
The widest gap is Housing costs over 40% of income: Sweden 10.8% against the European Union 7.7%, 3.1 points apart.
One question per row
People
Money and work
Family and home
Health and daily life
Education
Public spending
Country and infrastructure
Environment
Where €100 of public spending goes
Every euro each general government spends, sorted into the ten functions all 27 countries report against. Open a row for the ranking of 27 and what sits inside it.
the European Union
Sweden
Reference year 2024. Total public spending €100.00 in every column, so the ten shares always add up to one hundred.
Frequently asked: the European Union and Sweden
Where do more people live: the European Union or Sweden?
The gap is 42.56×: the European Union 450.6m, Sweden 10.6m. People usually resident in the country on 1 January. Eurostat · People & Women in the population · 2025. See the figure
Which covers more ground: the European Union or Sweden?
The gap is 9.44×: the European Union 4,225,104, Sweden 447,424. Total area of the country, inland water included. Eurostat · Land area & People per square kilometre · 2026. See the figure
Which is more crowded: the European Union or Sweden?
The gap is 4.23×: the European Union 110, Sweden 26.0. People per square kilometre of that total area. Eurostat · Land area & People per square kilometre · 2026. See the figure
Where are there more hospital beds per 100,000 people: the European Union or Sweden?
The gap is 2.72×: the European Union 507, Sweden 187. Beds available in hospitals, per 100,000 residents. Eurostat · Hospital beds · 2024. See the figure
Which government owes more: the European Union or Sweden?
The gap is 46.6 points: the European Union 81.7%, Sweden 35.1%. Consolidated gross debt of the general government, against GDP. Eurostat · Government debt · 2025. See the figure
Where does more energy come from renewables: the European Union or Sweden?
The gap is 39.2 points: Sweden 65.4%, the European Union 26.2%. Share of final energy use that comes from renewable sources. Eurostat · Renewable energy · 2025. See the figure
Where is there more railway per 1,000 km²: the European Union or Sweden?
The gap is 83.4%: the European Union 49.1, Sweden 26.8. Railway line in use for every 1,000 square kilometres of the country. Eurostat · Railway network & Railway density · 2024. See the figure
Where is unemployment higher: the European Union or Sweden?
The gap is 2.8 points: Sweden 8.8%, the European Union 6.0%. Share of 15 to 74 year olds in the labour force who are without work and looking for it. Eurostat · Out of work · 2025. See the figure
Where do more adults hold a degree: the European Union or Sweden?
The gap is 13.9 points: Sweden 50.8%, the European Union 36.9%. Share of adults whose highest completed education is a university or other tertiary degree. Eurostat · With a degree · 2025. See the figure
Where do more people share a home: the European Union or Sweden?
The gap is 15.0%: the European Union 2.3, Sweden 2.0. Average number of people living in a private household. Eurostat · People per household · 2025. See the figure
Medians where possible, per-capita averages for spending. This person is a composite of published statistics, not the most common person in the country.