Life Expectancy at Birth in the United States
77.5 years (median)
Lifetime probability in US
US life expectancy at birth is approximately 77.5 years (74.8 for males, 80.2 for females) as of 2022 data.
Life expectancy at birth in the United States was approximately 77.5 years in 2022 according to the CDC, with significant differences by sex: 74.8 years for males and 80.2 years for females. This represents a partial recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic drop but remains below the pre-pandemic level of 78.8 years in 2019.
Life expectancy varies substantially by race and ethnicity. Hispanic Americans have the highest life expectancy (80.0 years), followed by non-Hispanic whites (77.5), and non-Hispanic Black Americans (72.8). Geographic variation within the US is also striking: there is a roughly 20-year gap in life expectancy between the longest-lived and shortest-lived US counties.
The US has lower life expectancy than most other wealthy nations, a gap attributed to higher rates of gun violence, drug overdoses, obesity, lack of universal healthcare, and greater economic inequality. The factors most strongly associated with longer life include not smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, regular physical activity, moderate alcohol consumption, social connections, and access to quality healthcare.
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