Over the past 160 years, life expectancy (from birth) in the United States has risen from 39.4 years in 1860, to 78.9 years in 2020. One of the major reasons for the overall increase of life expectancy in the last two centuries is the fact that the infant and child mortality rates have decreased by so much during this time. Medical advancements, fewer wars and improved living standards also mean that people are living longer than they did in previous centuries.

Despite this overall increase, the life expectancy dropped three times since 1860; from 1865 to 1870 during the American Civil War, from 1915 to 1920 during the First World War and following Spanish Flu epidemic, and it has dropped again between 2015 and now. The reason for the most recent drop in life expectancy is not a result of any specific event, but has been attributed to negative societal trends, such as unbalanced diets and sedentary lifestyles, high medical costs, and increasing rates of suicide and drug use.

This table contains 2394 series, with data for years 1991 - 1991 (not all combinations necessarily have data for all years). This table contains data described by the following dimensions (Not all combinations are available): Geography (1 items: Canada ...), Population group (19 items: Entire cohort; Income adequacy quintile 1 (lowest);Income adequacy quintile 2;Income adequacy quintile 3 ...), Age (14 items: At 25 years; At 30 years; At 40 years; At 35 years ...), Sex (3 items: Both sexes; Females; Males ...), Characteristics (3 items: Life expectancy; High 95% confidence interval; life expectancy; Low 95% confidence interval; life expectancy ...).

United States US: Survival To Age 65: Male: % of Cohort data was reported at 81.615 % in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 81.372 % for 2015. United States US: Survival To Age 65: Male: % of Cohort data is updated yearly, averaging 73.582 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2016, with 57 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 81.615 % in 2016 and a record low of 63.787 % in 1967. United States US: Survival To Age 65: Male: % of Cohort data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.World Bank: Health Statistics. Survival to age 65 refers to the percentage of a cohort of newborn infants that would survive to age 65, if subject to age specific mortality rates of the specified year.; ; United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; Weighted average;

Life expectancy at birth, male (years) in United States was reported at 75.8 years in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. United States - Life expectancy at birth, male (years) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

Abstract

The Health Inequality Project uses big data to measure differences in life expectancy by income across areas and identify strategies to improve health outcomes for low-income Americans.

Section 7

This table reports life expectancy point estimates and standard errors for men and women at age 40 for each percentile of the national income distribution. Both race-adjusted and unadjusted estimates are reported.

Source

Section 13

This table reports life expectancy point estimates and standard errors for men and women at age 40 for each percentile of the national income distribution separately by year. Both race-adjusted and unadjusted estimates are reported.

Source

Section 6

This dataset was created on 2020-01-10 18:53:00.508 by merging multiple datasets together. The source datasets for this version were:

Commuting Zone Life Expectancy Estimates by year: CZ-level by-year life expectancy estimates for men and women, by income quartile

Commuting Zone Life Expectancy: Commuting zone (CZ)-level life expectancy estimates for men and women, by income quartile

Commuting Zone Life Expectancy Trends: CZ-level estimates of trends in life expectancy for men and women, by income quartile

Commuting Zone Characteristics: CZ-level characteristics

Commuting Zone Life Expectancy for larger populations: CZ-level life expectancy estimates for men and women, by income ventile

Section 15

This table reports life expectancy point estimates and standard errors for men and women at age 40 for each quartile of the national income distribution by state of residence and year. Both race-adjusted and unadjusted estimates are reported.

Source

Section 11

This table reports US mortality rates by gender, age, year and household income percentile. Household incomes are measured two years prior to the mortality rate for mortality rates at ages 40-63, and at age 61 for mortality rates at ages 64-76. The “lag” variable indicates the number of years between measurement of income and mortality.

Observations with 1 or 2 deaths have been masked: all mortality rates that reflect only 1 or 2 deaths have been recoded to reflect 3 deaths

Source

Section 3

This table reports coefficients and standard errors from regressions of life expectancy estimates for men and women at age 40 for each quartile of the national income distribution on calendar year by commuting zone of residence. Only the slope coefficient, representing the average increase or decrease in life expectancy per year, is reported. Trend estimates for both race-adjusted and unadjusted life expectancies are reported. Estimates are reported for the 100 largest CZs (populations greater than 590,000) only.

Source

Section 9

This table reports life expectancy estimates at age 40 for Males and Females for all countries. Source: World Health Organization, accessed at: http://apps.who.int/gho/athena/

Source

Section 10

This table reports life expectancy point estimates and standard errors for men and women at age 40 for each quartile of the national income distribution by county of residence. Both race-adjusted and unadjusted estimates are reported. Estimates are reported for counties with populations larger than 25,000 only

Source

Section 2

This table reports life expectancy point estimates and standard errors for men and women at age 40 for each quartile of the national income distribution by commuting zone of residence and year. Both race-adjusted and unadjusted estimates are reported. Estimates are reported for the 100 largest CZs (populations greater than 590,000) only.

Source

Section 8

This table reports US population and death counts by age, year, and sex from various sources. Counts labelled “dm1” are derived from the Social Security Administration Data Master 1 file. Counts labelled “irs” are derived from tax data. Counts labelled “cdc” are derived from NCHS life tables.

Source

Section 12

This table reports numerous county characteristics, compiled from various sources. These characteristics are described in the county life expectancy table.

Two variables constructed by the Cen

About this dataset

Context

The dataset tabulates the United States population distribution across 18 age groups. It lists the population in each age group along with the percentage population relative of the total population for United States. The dataset can be utilized to understand the population distribution of United States by age. For example, using this dataset, we can identify the largest age group in United States.

Key observations

The largest age group in United States was for the group of age 25-29 years with a population of 22,854,328 (6.93%), according to the 2021 American Community Survey. At the same time, the smallest age group in United States was the 80-84 years with a population of 5,932,196 (1.80%). Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2017-2021 5-Year Estimates.

Content

When available, the data consists of estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2017-2021 5-Year Estimates.

Age groups:

• Under 5 years
• 5 to 9 years
• 10 to 14 years
• 15 to 19 years
• 20 to 24 years
• 25 to 29 years
• 30 to 34 years
• 35 to 39 years
• 40 to 44 years
• 45 to 49 years
• 50 to 54 years
• 55 to 59 years
• 60 to 64 years
• 65 to 69 years
• 70 to 74 years
• 75 to 79 years
• 80 to 84 years
• 85 years and over

Variables / Data Columns

• Age Group: This column displays the age group in consideration
• Population: The population for the specific age group in the United States is shown in this column.
• % of Total Population: This column displays the population of each age group as a proportion of United States total population. Please note that the sum of all percentages may not equal one due to rounding of values.

Good to know

Margin of Error

Data in the dataset are based on the estimates and are subject to sampling variability and thus a margin of error. Neilsberg Research recommends using caution when presening these estimates in your research.

Custom data

If you do need custom data for any of your research project, report or presentation, you can contact our research staff at research@neilsberg.com for a feasibility of a custom tabulation on a fee-for-service basis.

Inspiration

Neilsberg Research Team curates, analyze and publishes demographics and economic data from a variety of public and proprietary sources, each of which often includes multiple surveys and programs. The large majority of Neilsberg Research aggregated datasets and insights is made available for free download at https://www.neilsberg.com/research/.

Recommended for further research

This dataset is a part of the main dataset for United States Population by Age. You can refer the same here

In 2021, a woman in the United States aged 65 years could expect to live another 19.7 years on average. This number decreased in the years 2020 and 2021, after reaching a high of 20.8 years in 2019. Nevertheless, the life expectancy of a woman aged 65 years in the United States is still higher than that of a man of that age. In 2021, a man aged 65 years could be expected to live another 17 years on average.

Why has the life expectancy in the U.S. declined? Overall, life expectancy in the United States has declined in recent years. In 2019, the life expectancy for U.S. women was 81.4 years, but by 2021 it had decreased to 79.3 years. Likewise, the life expectancy for men decreased from 76.3 years to 73.5 years in the same period. The biggest contributors to this decline in life expectancy are the COVID-19 pandemic and the opioid epidemic. Although deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic have decreased significantly since 2022, deaths from opioid overdose continue to increase, reaching all-time highs in 2021.

The leading causes of death among U.S. women The leading causes of death among women in the United States in 2020 were heart disease, cancer, and COVID-19. That year heart disease and cancer accounted for a combined 37 percent of all deaths among women, while around 10 percent of deaths were due to COVID-19. The overall leading causes of death in the United States generally reflect the leading causes among women with some slight variations. For example, Alzheimer’s disease is the fourth leading cause of death among women, but the seventh leading cause of death overall in the United States.

United States US: Population: Male: Ages 80 and Above: % of Male Population data was reported at 2.993 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 2.928 % for 2016. United States US: Population: Male: Ages 80 and Above: % of Male Population data is updated yearly, averaging 1.869 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2.993 % in 2017 and a record low of 1.142 % in 1960. United States US: Population: Male: Ages 80 and Above: % of Male Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.World Bank: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Male population between the ages 80 and above as a percentage of the total male population.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on age/sex distributions of United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; ;

Population ages 80 and above, male (% of male population) in United States was reported at 3.2898 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. United States - Population ages 80 and above, male (% of male population) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

BackgroundLife expectancy at birth in the United States will likely surpass 80 years in the coming decade. Yet recent studies suggest that longevity gains are unevenly shared across age and socioeconomic groups. First, mortality in midlife has risen among non-Hispanic whites. Second, low-educated whites have suffered stalls (men) or declines (women) in adult life expectancy, which is significantly lower than among their college-educated counterparts. Estimating the number of life years lost or gained by age and cause of death, broken down by educational attainment, is crucial in identifying vulnerable populations.Methods and FindingsUsing U.S. vital statistics data from 1990 to 2010, this study decomposes the change in life expectancy at age 25 by age and cause of death across educational attainment groups, broken down by race and gender. The findings reveal that mortality in midlife increased for white women (and to a lesser extent men) with 12 or fewer years of schooling, accounting for most of the stalls or declines in adult life expectancy observed in those groups. Among blacks, mortality declined in nearly all age and educational attainment groups. Although an educational gradient was found across multiple causes of death, between 60 and 80 percent of the gap in adult life expectancy was explained by cardiovascular diseases, smoking-related diseases, and external causes of death. Furthermore, the number of life years lost to smoking-related, external, and other causes of death increased among low- and high school-educated whites, explaining recent stalls or declines in longevity.ConclusionsLarge segments of the American population—particularly low- and high school-educated whites under age 55—are diverging from their college-educated counterparts and losing additional years of life to smoking-related diseases and external causes of death. If this trend continues, old-age mortality may also increase for these birth cohorts in the coming decades.

United States US: Population: Male: Ages 70-74: % of Male Population data was reported at 3.553 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 3.377 % for 2016. United States US: Population: Male: Ages 70-74: % of Male Population data is updated yearly, averaging 2.712 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 3.553 % in 2017 and a record low of 2.264 % in 1969. United States US: Population: Male: Ages 70-74: % of Male Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.World Bank: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Male population between the ages 70 to 74 as a percentage of the total male population.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on age/sex distributions of United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; ;

United States US: Population: Male: Ages 55-59: % of Male Population data was reported at 6.705 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 6.714 % for 2016. United States US: Population: Male: Ages 55-59: % of Male Population data is updated yearly, averaging 4.817 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 6.714 % in 2016 and a record low of 4.029 % in 1991. United States US: Population: Male: Ages 55-59: % of Male Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.World Bank: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Male population between the ages 55 to 59 as a percentage of the total male population.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on age/sex distributions of United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; ;

Retirement Age Men in the United States increased to 66.83 Years in 2025 from 66.67 Years in 2024. This dataset provides - United States Retirement Age Men - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

About this dataset

Context

The dataset presents median income data over a decade or more for males and females categorized by Total, Full-Time Year-Round (FT), and Part-Time (PT) employment in Live Oak. It showcases annual income, providing insights into gender-specific income distributions and the disparities between full-time and part-time work. The dataset can be utilized to gain insights into gender-based pay disparity trends and explore the variations in income for male and female individuals.

Key observations: Insights from 2023

Based on our analysis ACS 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates, we present the following observations: - All workers, aged 15 years and older: In Live Oak, the median income for all workers aged 15 years and older, regardless of work hours, was $55,656 for males and $38,659 for females.

These income figures highlight a substantial gender-based income gap in Live Oak. Women, regardless of work hours, earn 69 cents for each dollar earned by men. This significant gender pay gap, approximately 31%, underscores concerning gender-based income inequality in the city of Live Oak.

- Full-time workers, aged 15 years and older: In Live Oak, among full-time, year-round workers aged 15 years and older, males earned a median income of $59,760, while females earned $53,843, resulting in a 10% gender pay gap among full-time workers. This illustrates that women earn 90 cents for each dollar earned by men in full-time positions. While this gap shows a trend where women are inching closer to wage parity with men, it also exhibits a noticeable income difference for women working full-time in the city of Live Oak.

Interestingly, when analyzing income across all roles, including non-full-time employment, the gender pay gap percentage was higher for women compared to men. It appears that full-time employment presents a more favorable income scenario for women compared to other employment patterns in Live Oak.

Content

When available, the data consists of estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates. All incomes have been adjusting for inflation and are presented in 2023-inflation-adjusted dollars.

Gender classifications include:

• Male
• Female

Employment type classifications include:

• Full-time, year-round: A full-time, year-round worker is a person who worked full time (35 or more hours per week) and 50 or more weeks during the previous calendar year.
• Part-time: A part-time worker is a person who worked less than 35 hours per week during the previous calendar year.

Variables / Data Columns

• Year: This column presents the data year. Expected values are 2010 to 2023
• Male Total Income: Annual median income, for males regardless of work hours
• Male FT Income: Annual median income, for males working full time, year-round
• Male PT Income: Annual median income, for males working part time
• Female Total Income: Annual median income, for females regardless of work hours
• Female FT Income: Annual median income, for females working full time, year-round
• Female PT Income: Annual median income, for females working part time

Good to know

Margin of Error

Data in the dataset are based on the estimates and are subject to sampling variability and thus a margin of error. Neilsberg Research recommends using caution when presening these estimates in your research.

Custom data

If you do need custom data for any of your research project, report or presentation, you can contact our research staff at research@neilsberg.com for a feasibility of a custom tabulation on a fee-for-service basis.

Inspiration

Neilsberg Research Team curates, analyze and publishes demographics and economic data from a variety of public and proprietary sources, each of which often includes multiple surveys and programs. The large majority of Neilsberg Research aggregated datasets and insights is made available for free download at https://www.neilsberg.com/research/.

Recommended for further research

This dataset is a part of the main dataset for Live Oak median household income by race. You can refer the same here

In the United States in 2021, the death rate was highest among those aged 85 and over, with about 17,190.5 men and 14,914.5 women per 100,000 of the population passing away. For all ages, the death rate was at 1,118.2 per 100,000 of the population for males, and 970.8 per 100,000 of the population for women. The death rate Death rates generally are counted as the number of deaths per 1,000 or 100,000 of the population and include both deaths of natural and unnatural causes. The death rate in the United States had pretty much held steady since 1990 until it started to increase over the last decade, with the highest death rates recorded in recent years. While the birth rate in the United States has been decreasing, it is still currently higher than the death rate. Causes of death There are a myriad number of causes of death in the United States, but the most recent data shows the top three leading causes of death to be heart disease, cancers, and accidents. Heart disease was also the leading cause of death worldwide.

Over the period 2007-2011, life expectancy at birth was 78.5 years for the total population in New Mexico, 75.8 years for males, and 81.3 years for females.For comparison, in 2011, life expectancy at birth was 78.7 years for the total U.S. population, 76.3 years for males, and 81.1 years for females. (http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6335a8.htm?s_cid=mm6335a8_e )PLEASE NOTE: The data in this map corrects, updates and replaces life expectancy data included in the 2012 Bernalillo County Place Matters 'Community Health Equity Report'. Compare life expectancy in Europe and the USA - Map ImageNOTE: Changes in life expectancy (Increase, Decrease, No Change) over the periods 1999-2003 to 2007-2011 are tested for statistical significance using a rule of one standard deviation.

Life Expectancy at Birth, Small Areas, by Sex, 1999-2003 and 2007-2011 - LEBSASEX

Summary: Life Expectancy at Birth, Small Areas, by Sex, 1999-2003 and 2007-2011

Prepared by: NEW MEXICO COMMUNITY DATA COLLABORATIVE, http://nmcdc.maps.arcgis.com/home/index.html ; T Scharmen, thomas.scharmen@state.nm.us, 505-897-5700 x126,

Data Sources: New Mexico Death Certificate Database, Office of Vital Records and Statistics, New Mexico Department of Health; Population Estimates: University of New Mexico, Geospatial and Population Studies (GPS) Program, http://bber.unm.edu/bber_research_demPop.html. Retrieved Mon, 21 June 2014 from New Mexico Department of Health, Indicator-Based Information System for Public Health Web site: http://ibis.health.state.nm.us

Shapefile: http://nmcdc.maps.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=1e97d2715d8640ab9023fa35fc7b2634

Feature: http://nmcdc.maps.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=3104749c2c094044914abf9ba6953eab

Master File:

NM DATA VARIABLE DEFINITION

999 SANO Small Area Number

NEW MEXICO SANAME Small Area Name

9250534 PB9903 Population at Risk, Both Sexes, 1999-2003

77.7 LEB9903 Life Expectancy at Birth, Both Sexes, 1999-2003

77.7 CILB9903 Lower Confidence Interval for Life Expectancy at Birth, Both Sexes, 1999-2003

77.7 CIUB9903 Upper Confidence Interval for Life Expectancy at Birth, Both Sexes, 1999-2003

10188104 PB0711 Population at Risk, Both Sexes, 2007-2011

78.5 LEB0711 Life Expectancy at Birth, Both Sexes, 2007-2011

78.5 CILB0711 Lower Confidence Interval for Life Expectancy at Birth, Both Sexes, 2007-2011

78.5 CIUB0711 Upper Confidence Interval for Life Expectancy at Birth, Both Sexes, 2007-2011

0.8 LEBDIFF Difference in Life Expectancy, Both Sexes, 2007-2011 MINUS 1999-2003

INCREASE LEBSIG Trend of the Difference in Life Expectancy, Both Sexes, (1 standard deviation = 68.2% confidence interval)

4683013 PF9903 Population at Risk, Females, 1999-2003

80.6 LEF9903 Life Expectancy at Birth, Females, 1999-2003

80.6 CILF9903 Lower Confidence Interval for Life Expectancy at Birth, Females, 1999-2003

80.6 CIUF9903 Upper Confidence Interval for Life Expectancy at Birth, Females, 1999-2003

5155192 PF0711 Population at Risk, Females, 2007-2011

81.3 LEF0711 Life Expectancy at Birth, Females, 2007-2011

81.3 CILF0711 Lower Confidence Interval for Life Expectancy at Birth, Females, 2007-2011

81.3 CIUF0711 Upper Confidence Interval for Life Expectancy at Birth, Females, 2007-2011

0.7 LEFDIFF Difference in Life Expectancy, Females, 2007-2011 MINUS 1999-2003

INCREASE LEFSIG Trend of the Difference in Life Expectancy, Females, (1 standard deviation = 68.2% confidence interval)

4567521 PM9903 Population at Risk, Males, 1999-2003

74.8 LEM9903 Life Expectancy at Birth, Males, 1999-2003

74.8 CILM9903 Lower Confidence Interval for Life Expectancy at Birth, Males, 1999-2003

74.8 CIUM9903 Upper Confidence Interval for Life Expectancy at Birth, Males, 1999-2003

5032911 PM0711 Population at Risk, Males, 2007-2011

75.8 LEM0711 Life Expectancy at Birth, Males, 2007-2011

75.7 CILM0711 Lower Confidence Interval for Life Expectancy at Birth, Males, 2007-2011

75.8 CIUM0711 Upper Confidence Interval for Life Expectancy at Birth, Males, 2007-2011

1 LEMDIFF Difference in Life Expectancy, Males, 2007-2011 MINUS 1999-2003

INCREASE LEMSIG Trend of the Difference in Life Expectancy, Males, (1 standard deviation = 68.2% confidence interval)

1.077540107 FMRT9903 Female to Male Ratio of Life Expectancy, 1999-2003

1.072559367 FMRT0711 Female to Male Ratio of Life Expectancy, 2007-2011

5.8 FMDT9903 Female Life Expectancy MINUS Male Life Expectancy, 1999-2003

5.5 FMDT0711 Female Life Expectancy MINUS Male Life Expectancy, 2007-2011

-0.3 FMDTDIFF Difference in Female Life Expectancy MINUS Male Life Expectancy, over both time periods, in Years

Population, female (% of total population) in United States was reported at 49.76 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. United States - Population, female (% of total) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

It is only in the past two centuries where demographics and the development of human populations has emerged as a subject in its own right, as industrialization and improvements in medicine gave way to exponential growth of the world's population. There are very few known demographic studies conducted before the 1800s, which means that modern scholars have had to use a variety of documents from centuries gone by, along with archeological and anthropological studies, to try and gain a better understanding of the world's demographic development. Genealogical records One such method is the study of genealogical records from the past; luckily, there are many genealogies relating to European families that date back as far as medieval times. Unfortunately, however, all of these studies relate to families in the upper and elite classes; this is not entirely representative of the overall population as these families had a much higher standard of living and were less susceptible to famine or malnutrition than the average person (although elites were more likely to die during times of war). Nonetheless, there is much to be learned from this data. Impact of the Black Death In the centuries between 1200 and 1745, English male aristocrats who made it to their 21st birthday were generally expected to live to an age between 62 and 72 years old. The only century where life expectancy among this group was much lower was in the 1300s, where the Black Death caused life expectancy among adult English noblemen to drop to just 45 years. Experts assume that the pre-plague population of England was somewhere between four and seven million people in the thirteenth century, and just two million in the fourteenth century, meaning that Britain lost at least half of its population due to the plague. Although the plague only peaked in England for approximately eighteen months, between 1348 and 1350, it devastated the entire population, and further outbreaks in the following decades caused life expectancy in the decade to drop further. The bubonic plague did return to England sporadically until the mid-seventeenth century, although life expectancy among English male aristocrats rose again in the centuries following the worst outbreak, and even peaked at more than 71 years in the first half of the sixteenth century.

Graph and download economic data for Infra-Annual Labor Statistics: Working-Age Population Male: From 25 to 54 Years for United States (LFWA25MAUSQ647S) from Q1 1977 to Q1 2025 about 25 to 54 years, working-age, males, population, and USA.

A dataset to advance the study of life-cycle interactions of biomedical and socioeconomic factors in the aging process. The EI project has assembled a variety of large datasets covering the life histories of approximately 39,616 white male volunteers (drawn from a random sample of 331 companies) who served in the Union Army (UA), and of about 6,000 African-American veterans from 51 randomly selected United States Colored Troops companies (USCT). Their military records were linked to pension and medical records that detailed the soldiers������?? health status and socioeconomic and family characteristics. Each soldier was searched for in the US decennial census for the years in which they were most likely to be found alive (1850, 1860, 1880, 1900, 1910). In addition, a sample consisting of 70,000 men examined for service in the Union Army between September 1864 and April 1865 has been assembled and linked only to census records. These records will be useful for life-cycle comparisons of those accepted and rejected for service. Military Data: The military service and wartime medical histories of the UA and USCT men were collected from the Union Army and United States Colored Troops military service records, carded medical records, and other wartime documents. Pension Data: Wherever possible, the UA and USCT samples have been linked to pension records, including surgeon''''s certificates. About 70% of men in the Union Army sample have a pension. These records provide the bulk of the socioeconomic and demographic information on these men from the late 1800s through the early 1900s, including family structure and employment information. In addition, the surgeon''''s certificates provide rich medical histories, with an average of 5 examinations per linked recruit for the UA, and about 2.5 exams per USCT recruit. Census Data: Both early and late-age familial and socioeconomic information is collected from the manuscript schedules of the federal censuses of 1850, 1860, 1870 (incomplete), 1880, 1900, and 1910. Data Availability: All of the datasets (Military Union Army; linked Census; Surgeon''''s Certificates; Examination Records, and supporting ecological and environmental variables) are publicly available from ICPSR. In addition, copies on CD-ROM may be obtained from the CPE, which also maintains an interactive Internet Data Archive and Documentation Library, which can be accessed on the Project Website. * Dates of Study: 1850-1910 * Study Features: Longitudinal, Minority Oversamples * Sample Size: ** Union Army: 35,747 ** Colored Troops: 6,187 ** Examination Sample: 70,800 ICPSR Link: http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/icpsrweb/ICPSR/studies/06836