State-by-State U.S. Life Expectancy Statistics Chart

Ian C. Langtree - Writer/Editor for Disabled World (DW)
Published: 2017/05/10 - Updated: 2025/02/23
Publication Type: Charts, Graphs, Tables
Topic: Medical Calculators and Charts - Publications List

Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main - Insights, Updates

Synopsis: This statistics report with supporting tables and charts provides valuable insights into life expectancy trends across U.S. states, highlighting significant disparities based on geography, race, and ethnicity. It offers a comprehensive overview of life expectancy statistics, including state-by-state rankings and historical data from 1950 to 2022. The information is particularly useful for understanding health disparities, socioeconomic factors influencing longevity, and the overall state of public health in the United States. By presenting data on life expectancy variations among different demographic groups and regions, the article serves as a crucial resource for policymakers, healthcare professionals, and researchers working to address health inequalities and improve overall population health outcomes - Disabled World (DW).

Introduction

By any statistic, the United States is far from the top regarding health stats. Life expectancy, childhood survival, and pathology-specific numbers around things like cancer survival, diabetes control, etc. tend to be pretty atrocious in the United States - even among the insured.

Main Item

"Life expectancy in many places in this country (US) is declining. It's going backward instead of forward... Countries like Australia are far ahead of the U.S. in delivering preventive care and trying to curb harmful behaviors. Smoking, physical inactivity, obesity, and high blood pressure are all preventable risk factors" - (washingtonpost.com).

U.S. Life Expectancy Figures

UPDATE: (3rd September 2022), An updated analysis of American COVID-19 deaths throughout 2021 highlights a continued drop in overall U.S. life expectancy as well as persistent disparities by race and ethnicity. The study, published in PLOS ONE, indicates that U.S. life expectancy at birth decreased by 2.2 years from 78.8 in 2019 to 76.6 in 2021. Covid-19: U.S. life expectancy continued to decrease in 2021; study finds despite vaccination rollout, 2021 reductions in life expectancy appear to exceed those in 2020, and racial disparities have persisted - USC researchers. The estimated decrease in life expectancy for 2021 is 0.6 years larger than the decrease observed in 2020. Despite the availability of effective vaccines, life expectancy continued to decline in 2021. Part of this is due to the large number of COVID-19 deaths that occurred at the beginning of 2021 before many individuals were eligible for vaccination. But even once all adults became eligible for vaccination, many chose not to be vaccinated, and even vaccinated individuals were not completely protected against the highly transmissible Delta and Omicron variants.

Today, the life expectancy of someone born in the United States is 78.9 years. Overall, Hawaii is the U.S. state with the highest life expectancy, and the state of Mississippi is rated the lowest for lifespan years.

Continued below image.
Graph shows average life expectancy rates in the US from 1900 to 2011.
Graph shows average life expectancy rates in the US from 1900 to 2011.
Continued...

According to 2011 U.S. Census Bureau data, 8 of 10 of the shortest lifespan states are also within the bottom 10 of average household income - these U.S. states are;

In addition, 6 of the ten longest-living U.S. states scored within the top 10 of average household income;

Listed below is a chart of United States states sorted by human lifespan expectancy and race/ethnicity. These statistics are taken from the Measure of America 2013–2014 third national human development report. The measure of America calculations uses mortality data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics 2009, and population data from the CDC WONDER database.

U.S. States Average Life Expectancy Age
RankStateAverageWhiteAfrican AmericanAsian AmericanLatinoNative American
1 Hawaii 81.3 80.4 - 82.0 76.8 -
2 Minnesota 81.1 81.2 79.7 83.5 87.3 70.2
3 Connecticut 80.8 81.0 77.8 89.1 83.1 -
4 California 80.8 79.8 75.1 86.3 83.2 80.2
5 Massachusetts 80.5 80.4 78.8 89.1 87.1 -
6 New York 80.5 80.5 77.4 88.6 83.5 -
7 Vermont 80.5 80.4 - - - -
8 New Hampshire 80.3 80.1 - - - -
9 New Jersey 80.3 80.3 75.5 89.4 84.7 -
10 Utah 80.2 80.1 - 84.6 82.1 -
11 Colorado 80.0 80.2 76.7 87.4 79.4 -
12 Wisconsin 80.0 80.3 74.0 86.4 86.0 72.5
13 Washington 79.9 79.7 77.5 85.4 85.4 73.8
14 Rhode Island 79.9 79.7 - - - -
15 Nebraska 79.8 80.0 73.9 - 85.5 -
16 Iowa 79.7 79.8 75.3 - - -
17 Arizona 79.6 79.8 76.5 86.7 80.8 72.7
18 North Dakota 79.5 80.2 - - - -
19 Oregon 79.5 79.2 77.2 86.2 85.4 -
20 Idaho 79.5 79.4 - - 83.4 -
21 South Dakota 79.5 80.4 - - - 68.2
22 Florida 79.4 79.1 75.8 88.9 83.1 -
23 Maine 79.2 79.1 - - - -
24 Virginia 79.0 79.4 75.3 87.2 88.3 -
25 Illinois 79.0 79.3 73.7 87.9 85.3 -
26 Maryland 78.8 79.4 75.5 88.2 - -
27 Kansas 78.7 78.8 73.6 - 83.5 -
28 Pennsylvania 78.5 78.9 73.4 89.0 85.3 -
29 Montana 78.5 79.1 - - - 69.2
30 Texas 78.5 78.0 74.4 88.1 80.7 -
31 New Mexico 78.4 79.0 - - 78.8 74.8
32 Delaware 78.4 78.6 75.4 - - -
33 Wyoming 78.3 78.4 - - - -
34 Alaska 78.3 79.4 - - - 70.5
35 Michigan 78.2 79.0 73.4 88.7 80.0 75.3
36 Nevada 78.1 76.7 75.9 88.1 84.7 -
37 North Carolina 77.8 78.3 74.7 88.9 - 76.6
38 Ohio 77.8 78.1 73.9 87.0 85.3 -
39 Indiana 77.6 77.7 73.8 88.1 85.9 -
40 Missouri 77.5 77.7 74.2 - - -
41 Georgia 77.2 77.6 74.7 88.0 - -
42 South Carolina 77.0 77.8 74.0 - - -
43 District of Columbia 76.5 84.3 71.6 - - -
44 Tennessee 76.3 76.7 72.9 84.2 - -
45 Kentucky 76.0 76.0 73.5 - - -
46 Arkansas 76.0 76.3 72.2 - - -
47 Oklahoma 75.9 76.0 72.8 - 85.0 73.8
48 Louisiana 75.7 76.7 72.4 85.6 - -
49 Alabama 75.4 76.0 72.9 85.3 - -
50 West Virginia 75.4 75.4 72.8 - - -
51 Mississippi 75.0 76.1 72.4 - - -

Notes:

U.S. Life Expectancy 1950-2022

United States 1950-2022 Historical Life Expectancy Data
Year Life Expectancy Growth Rate
2022 79.05 0.080%
2021 78.99 0.080%
2020 78.93 0.080%
2019 78.87 0.080%
2018 78.81 -0.030%
2017 78.84 -0.030%
2016 78.86 -0.030%
2015 78.89 -0.030%
2014 78.91 -0.030%
2013 78.94 0.190%
2012 78.79 0.190%
2011 78.64 0.190%
2010 78.49 0.190%
2009 78.34 0.190%
2008 78.19 0.260%
2007 77.99 0.260%
2006 77.79 0.260%
2005 77.58 0.260%
2004 77.38 0.260%
2003 77.18 0.180%
2002 77.04 0.180%
2001 76.90 0.190%
2000 76.75 0.190%
1999 76.61 0.190%
1998 76.47 0.210%
1997 76.31 0.220%
1996 76.14 0.220%
1995 75.98 0.220%
1994 75.81 0.220%
1993 75.65 0.200%
1992 75.50 0.200%
1991 75.35 0.200%
1990 75.19 0.200%
1989 75.04 0.200%
1988 74.89 0.140%
1987 74.79 0.140%
1986 74.68 0.140%
1985 74.58 0.140%
1984 74.47 0.140%
1983 74.37 0.300%
1982 74.15 0.300%
1981 73.92 0.300%
1980 73.70 0.300%
1979 73.47 0.310%
1978 73.25 0.500%
1977 72.88 0.500%
1976 72.52 0.510%
1975 72.15 0.510%
1974 71.79 0.510%
1973 71.42 0.300%
1972 71.21 0.300%
1971 71.00 0.300%
1970 70.78 0.300%
1969 70.57 0.300%
1968 70.36 0.070%
1967 70.31 0.070%
1966 70.26 0.070%
1965 70.21 0.070%
1964 70.16 0.070%
1963 70.11 0.130%
1962 70.02 0.130%
1961 69.93 0.130%
1960 69.84 0.130%
1959 69.75 0.130%
1958 69.66 0.270%
1957 69.47 0.270%
1956 69.28 0.280%
1955 69.09 0.280%
1954 68.90 0.280%
1953 68.71 0.280%
1952 68.52 0.280%
1951 68.33 0.280%
1950 68.14 0.000%

The aging of US baby boomers means that older people are projected to outnumber children for the first time within just a few decades. Between 2020 and 2050, the number of deaths is projected to rise substantially as the population ages and a significant share of the population, the baby boomers, ages into older adulthood. As a result, the population will naturally grow very slowly, leaving net international migration to overtake natural increase as the leading cause of population growth, even as projected levels of migration remain relatively constant - U.S. Seniors to Outnumber Children for the First Time.

Insights, Analysis, and Developments

Editorial Note:

The disparities in life expectancy across U.S. states, as highlighted in this report, underscore the profound impact of socioeconomic factors on health outcomes. States with lower average household incomes, such as Mississippi and West Virginia, consistently report shorter lifespans, while wealthier states like Hawaii and California enjoy greater longevity. This correlation suggests that income inequality, access to healthcare, and lifestyle choices play pivotal roles in determining life expectancy. Addressing these disparities requires comprehensive public health strategies that focus on improving education, economic opportunities, and healthcare access in underserved communities

- Disabled World (DW).

Author Credentials: Ian was born and grew up in Australia. Since then, he has traveled and lived in numerous locations and currently resides in Montreal, Canada. Ian is the founder, a writer, and editor in chief for Disabled World. Ian believes in the Social Model of Disability, a belief developed by disabled people in the 1970s. The social model changes the focus away from people's impairments and towards removing barriers that disabled people face daily. To learn more about Ian's background, expertise, and achievements, .

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Citing and References

Founded in 2004, Disabled World (DW) is a leading resource on disabilities, assistive technologies, and accessibility, supporting the disability community. Learn more on our About Us page.

Cite This Page: Disabled World. (2017, May 10 - Last revised: 2025, February 23). State-by-State U.S. Life Expectancy Statistics Chart. Disabled World (DW). Retrieved April 25, 2025 from www.disabled-world.com/calculators-charts/states.php

Permalink: <a href="https://www.disabled-world.com/calculators-charts/states.php">State-by-State U.S. Life Expectancy Statistics Chart</a>: Chart of human lifespan expectancy statistics sorted by U.S. states, race, and ethnicity, including 1950-2022 historical American life expectancy table.

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