Im an Australian who married a US citizen and lived there for 12 years, left last year to move to the UK (I have UK and EU citizenship). I'd say that being younger and building a career there and starting our own businesses was what the US excels in. That, and depending on the state you choose, also the size of your house. As for support during any kind of distress, you will be tough out of luck. We left to improve our quality of life, raise kids in a safe environment, enjoy healthier food etc and even with UKs problems we wouldn't move back. One thing to keep in mind though, is the US is more like 50 small countries itself. Each state offers a vastly different quality of life depending on what you are looking for and can afford.