Life Expectancy by State 2026
United States 64.19
0.9%
US Average
Hawaii 67.53
Highest
West Virginia 59.93
Lowest
Life Expectancy, Both Sexes
60.00
62.00
64.00
66.00
68.00
States Ranked by Life Expectancy
State | Life Expectancy, Both Sexes 2023↓ | Male Life Expectancy 2023 | Female Life Expectancy 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Hawaii | 67.53 | 65.86 | 69.28 |
 | New Jersey | 66.52 | 65.63 | 67.37 |
 | California | 66.48 | 65.33 | 67.65 |
 | Minnesota | 66.48 | 65.83 | 67.12 |
 | Massachusetts | 66.44 | 65.45 | 67.39 |
 | New York | 66.08 | 65.10 | 67.00 |
 | Connecticut | 65.91 | 64.95 | 66.84 |
 | Rhode Island | 65.78 | 64.84 | 66.69 |
 | Vermont | 65.76 | 64.68 | 66.88 |
 | Utah | 65.51 | 65.22 | 65.81 |
 | Colorado | 65.48 | 64.75 | 66.25 |
 | Nebraska | 65.47 | 64.87 | 66.09 |
 | Iowa | 65.40 | 64.52 | 66.30 |
 | Illinois | 65.33 | 64.08 | 66.59 |
 | Washington | 65.22 | 64.46 | 66.01 |
 | New Hampshire | 65.19 | 64.22 | 66.20 |
 | Idaho | 65.18 | 64.84 | 65.54 |
 | Wisconsin | 65.16 | 64.42 | 65.94 |
 | Maryland | 65.14 | 64.05 | 66.19 |
 | Florida | 65.13 | 64.08 | 66.20 |
 | Oregon | 65.03 | 63.94 | 66.17 |
 | North Dakota | 64.98 | 63.96 | 66.09 |
 | Texas | 64.80 | 63.95 | 65.67 |
 | Virginia | 64.73 | 63.92 | 65.53 |
 | South Dakota | 64.70 | 64.25 | 65.17 |
 | Montana | 64.46 | 63.92 | 65.03 |
 | Maine | 64.04 | 63.17 | 64.95 |
 | Alaska | 64.00 | 62.37 | 64.61 |
 | Wyoming | 63.98 | 63.43 | 64.59 |
 | Delaware | 63.89 | 62.72 | 65.07 |
 | Kansas | 63.89 | 63.18 | 64.62 |
 | District of Columbia | 63.80 | 62.12 | 65.34 |
 | Pennsylvania | 63.78 | 62.90 | 64.67 |
 | Michigan | 63.77 | 62.97 | 64.60 |
 | Nevada | 63.77 | 62.77 | 64.88 |
 | Georgia | 63.60 | 62.61 | 64.58 |
 | North Carolina | 63.46 | 62.20 | 64.73 |
 | Alabama | 63.40 | 60.00 | 62.60 |
 | Missouri | 63.00 | 61.90 | 64.15 |
 | Ohio | 62.91 | 61.99 | 63.84 |
 | Indiana | 62.85 | 61.95 | 63.79 |
 | South Carolina | 62.51 | 61.23 | 63.81 |
 | Arizona | 62.34 | 62.84 | 65.25 |
 | Arkansas | 62.34 | 61.24 | 63.49 |
 | New Mexico | 62.31 | 60.65 | 64.11 |
 | Louisiana | 61.42 | 59.80 | 63.09 |
 | Tennessee | 61.27 | 60.02 | 62.56 |
 | Oklahoma | 61.20 | 60.40 | 62.04 |
 | Mississippi | 61.15 | 59.70 | 62.63 |
 | Kentucky | 60.97 | 59.95 | 62.03 |
 | West Virginia | 59.93 | 58.99 | 60.96 |
- 2021 average life expectancies for the country as a whole were 76.4 years overall, 73.5 years for males, and 79.3 years for females.
Key Findings
States with Highest Life Expectancy
-
Hawaii (67.53), New Jersey (66.52), and California (66.48) lead the nation in life expectancy.
-
These states frequently appear among the best states to live in, largely thanks to strong healthcare systems, higher median incomes, and healthier lifestyle patterns.
States with Lowest Life Expectancy
-
West Virginia (59.93) currently has the lowest life expectancy in the nation.
-
States with lower life expectancy often face higher obesity rates, limited healthcare access, and increased rates of chronic disease.
The Gender Gap in Life Expectancy
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Women outlive men in every U.S. state.
-
This gap reflects a mix of biological differences, health behaviors, and differences in preventive care usage.
-
Life expectancy still varies widely by state, showing how local health conditions can shape outcomes.
How US Life Expectancy Has Changed Over Time
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U.S. life expectancy increased steadily from 1950 through the early 2010s due to medical advances and improved public health.
-
The COVID-19 pandemic caused a significant decline, reversing years of progress.
-
Recent data shows partial recovery, though state-level differences remain substantial.
United States Trend Line
Average US Life Expectancy: History
U.S. life expectancy increased steadily for decades before declining during the COVID-19 pandemic. Recent data shows signs of recovery, but long-term trends reveal uneven progress, with significant variation among states.
Life Expectancy
Comparison
Life expectancy varies widely across U.S. states, reflecting differences in healthcare access, socioeconomic conditions, and population health.
Definitions & Methodology
What is life expectancy? Life expectancy is the statistical measure of the average number of years a person is expected to live, based on current mortality rates at birth.
Data sources and methodology State rankings are based on life expectancy at birth estimates from the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). Figures reflect birth-year–based projections using the most recent available mortality data.
Last Updated: April 24, 2026
