[alephnerd]

Household debt rates in America are better than most of Western Europe and comparable to Germany [0].

FYI the Nordic states and Netherlands tend to have the highest household debt rates amongst European OECD states [0].

[0] - https://www.oecd.org/en/data/indicators/household-debt.html

[red-iron-pine]

they also have generous social protections that allow them to handle the associated risk.

easy to take on a lil more debt if you know you have healthcare and employment protections.

[alephnerd]

If so South Korea, Portugal, and Canada wouldn't have Nordic level household debt rates despite have significantly less permissive (and in SK's case functionally non-existent) social safety nets compared to Nordics.

[flowerthoughts]

Swedish 5y mortgage rates are at about 3.1%. US is at twice that.