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.

United States US: Life Expectancy at Birth data was reported at 84.700 Year in 2050. This records an increase from the previous number of 84.600 Year for 2049. United States US: Life Expectancy at Birth data is updated yearly, averaging 82.400 Year from Jun 2014 (Median) to 2050, with 37 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 84.700 Year in 2050 and a record low of 79.500 Year in 2014. United States US: Life Expectancy at Birth data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by US Census Bureau. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.US Census Bureau: Demographic Projection.

Life expectancy at birth, female (years) in United States was reported at 81.1 years in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. United States - Life expectancy at birth, female (years) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on May of 2025.

Global life expectancy at birth has risen significantly since the mid-1900s, from roughly 46 years in 1950 to 73.2 years in 2023. Post-COVID-19 projections There was a drop of 1.7 years during the COVID-19 pandemic, between 2019 and 2021, however, figures resumed upon their previous trajectory the following year due to the implementation of vaccination campaigns and the lower severity of later strains of the virus. By the end of the century it is believed that global life expectancy from birth will reach 82 years, although growth will slow in the coming decades as many of the more-populous Asian countries reach demographic maturity. However, there is still expected to be a wide gap between various regions at the end of the 2100s, with the Europe and North America expected to have life expectancies around 90 years, whereas Sub-Saharan Africa is predicted to be in the low-70s. The Great Leap Forward While a decrease of one year during the COVID-19 pandemic may appear insignificant, this is the largest decline in life expectancy since the "Great Leap Forward" in China in 1958, which caused global life expectancy to fall by almost four years between by 1960. The "Great Leap Forward" was a series of modernizing reforms, which sought to rapidly transition China's agrarian economy into an industrial economy, but mismanagement led to tens of millions of deaths through famine and disease.

U.S. life expectancy for 2025 is 79.40, a 0.18% increase from 2024.

<ul style='margin-top:20px;'>

<li>U.S. life expectancy for 2024 was <strong>79.25</strong>, a <strong>1.11% increase</strong> from 2023.</li>
<li>U.S. life expectancy for 2023 was <strong>78.39</strong>, a <strong>1.23% increase</strong> from 2022.</li>
<li>U.S. life expectancy for 2022 was <strong>77.43</strong>, a <strong>1.45% increase</strong> from 2021.</li>
</ul>Life expectancy at birth indicates the number of years a newborn infant would live if prevailing patterns of mortality at the time of its birth were to stay the same throughout its life.

World life expectancy for 2025 is 73.49, a 0.23% increase from 2024.

<ul style='margin-top:20px;'>

<li>World life expectancy for 2024 was <strong>73.33</strong>, a <strong>0% increase</strong> from 2023.</li>
<li>World life expectancy for 2023 was <strong>73.33</strong>, a <strong>0.49% increase</strong> from 2022.</li>
<li>World life expectancy for 2022 was <strong>72.97</strong>, a <strong>2.46% increase</strong> from 2021.</li>
</ul>Life expectancy at birth indicates the number of years a newborn infant would live if prevailing patterns of mortality at the time of its birth were to stay the same throughout its life.

Key information about Australia Life Expectancy at Birth

• Australia Life Expectancy at Birth was reported at 83.200 Year in Dec 2022.
• This records a decrease from the previous number of 83.300 Year for Dec 2021.
• Australia Life Expectancy at Birth data is updated yearly, averaging 77.276 Year from Dec 1960 to 2022, with 63 observations.
• The data reached an all-time high of 83.300 Year in 2021 and a record low of 70.817 Year in 1960.
• Australia Life Expectancy at Birth data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank.
• The data is categorized under Global Database’s Australia – Table AU.World Bank.WDI: Social: Health Statistics.

Life expectancy at birth indicates the number of years a newborn infant would live if prevailing patterns of mortality at the time of its birth were to stay the same throughout its life.;(1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects: 2022 Revision; or derived from male and female life expectancy at birth from sources such as: (2) Statistical databases and publications from national statistical offices; (3) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics.;Weighted average;

The total life expectancy at birth in the United States saw no significant changes in 2023 in comparison to the previous year 2022 and remained at around 78.39 years. However, 2023 marked the second consecutive increase of the life expectancy at birth. These figures refer to the expected lifespan of the average newborn in a given country or region, providing that mortality patterns at the time of birth remain constant thereafter.Find more statistics on other topics about the United States with key insights such as crude birth rate, life expectancy of women at birth, and life expectancy of men at birth.

Pivot table for life expectancy by sex and area type, divided by three-year intervals starting from 2001 to 2003.

Life expectancy at birth and at age 65, by sex, on a three-year average basis.

Graph and download economic data for Life Expectancy at Birth, Total for the United States (SPDYNLE00INUSA) from 1960 to 2023 about life expectancy, life, birth, and USA.

Mexico MX: Life Expectancy at Birth: Total data was reported at 77.305 Year in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 77.118 Year for 2016. Mexico MX: Life Expectancy at Birth: Total data is updated yearly, averaging 70.239 Year from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 77.305 Year in 2017 and a record low of 57.082 Year in 1960. Mexico MX: Life Expectancy at Birth: Total data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Mexico – Table MX.World Bank.WDI: Health Statistics. Life expectancy at birth indicates the number of years a newborn infant would live if prevailing patterns of mortality at the time of its birth were to stay the same throughout its life.; ; (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision, or derived from male and female life expectancy at birth from sources such as: (2) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (3) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (4) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Reprot (various years), (5) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database, and (6) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme.; Weighted average;

Life expectancy at birth, male (years) in Canada was reported at 79.51 years in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Canada - Life expectancy at birth, male (years) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

Life expectancy, healthy life expectancy and disability-free life expectancy – at birth and age 65 by sex for local areas in the UK, 2016 to 2018.

In 2022, people who identified as Asian had a projected life expectancy of 84.5 years, the highest in the United States, whereas an American Indian or Alaska native had the lowest with 67.9 years. From 2019 to 2021, life expectancy at birth declined in the U.S., regardless of race and ethnicity. One of the main drivers of this decline was the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2023, the average life expectancy of the world was 70 years for men and 75 years for women. The lowest life expectancies were found in Africa, while Oceania and Europe had the highest.

What is life expectancy?

Life expectancy is defined as a statistical measure of how long a person may live, based on demographic factors such as gender, current age, and most importantly the year of their birth. The most commonly used measure of life expectancy is life expectancy at birth or at age zero. The calculation is based on the assumption that mortality rates at each age were to remain constant in the future.

Life expectancy has changed drastically over time, especially during the past 200 years. In the early 20th century, the average life expectancy at birth in the developed world stood at 31 years. It has grown to an average of 70 and 75 years for males and females respectively, and is expected to keep on growing with advances in medical treatment and living standard continuing.

Highest and lowest life expectancy worldwide

Life expectancy still varies greatly between different regions and countries of the world. The biggest impact on life expectancy is the quality of public health, medical care, and diet. As of 2021, the countries with the highest life expectancy were Japan, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, and South Korea, all at 84 years. Most of the countries with the lowest life expectancy are mostly African countries. The ranking was led by the Chad, Nigeria, and Lesotho with 53 years.

This dataset of U.S. mortality trends since 1900 highlights the differences in age-adjusted death rates and life expectancy at birth by race and sex. Age-adjusted death rates (deaths per 100,000) after 1998 are calculated based on the 2000 U.S. standard population. Populations used for computing death rates for 2011–2017 are postcensal estimates based on the 2010 census, estimated as of July 1, 2010. Rates for census years are based on populations enumerated in the corresponding censuses. Rates for noncensus years between 2000 and 2010 are revised using updated intercensal population estimates and may differ from rates previously published. Data on age-adjusted death rates prior to 1999 are taken from historical data (see References below). Life expectancy data are available up to 2017. Due to changes in categories of race used in publications, data are not available for the black population consistently before 1968, and not at all before 1960. More information on historical data on age-adjusted death rates is available at https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/mortality/hist293.htm. SOURCES CDC/NCHS, National Vital Statistics System, historical data, 1900-1998 (see https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/mortality_historical_data.htm); CDC/NCHS, National Vital Statistics System, mortality data (see http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/deaths.htm); and CDC WONDER (see http://wonder.cdc.gov). REFERENCES National Center for Health Statistics, Data Warehouse. Comparability of cause-of-death between ICD revisions. 2008. Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/mortality/comparability_icd.htm. National Center for Health Statistics. Vital statistics data available. Mortality multiple cause files. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data_access/vitalstatsonline.htm. Kochanek KD, Murphy SL, Xu JQ, Arias E. Deaths: Final data for 2017. National Vital Statistics Reports; vol 68 no 9. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2019. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr68/nvsr68_09-508.pdf. Arias E, Xu JQ. United States life tables, 2017. National Vital Statistics Reports; vol 68 no 7. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2019. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr68/nvsr68_07-508.pdf. National Center for Health Statistics. Historical Data, 1900-1998. 2009. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/mortality_historical_data.htm.

This table contains 2754 series, with data for years 2005/2007 - 2012/2014 (not all combinations necessarily have data for all years). This table contains data described by the following dimensions (Not all combinations are available): Geography (153 items: Canada; Newfoundland and Labrador; Eastern Regional Integrated Health Authority, Newfoundland and Labrador; Central Regional Integrated Health Authority, Newfoundland and Labrador; ...);  Age group (2 items: At birth; At age 65);  Sex (3 items: Both sexes; Males; Females);  Characteristics (3 items: Life expectancy; Low 95% confidence interval, life expectancy; High 95% confidence interval, life expectancy).

Life expectancy at birth, total (years) in New Zealand was reported at 83 years in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. New Zealand - Life expectancy at birth, total (years) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

U.K. life expectancy for 2025 is 82.06, a 0.18% increase from 2024.

<ul style='margin-top:20px;'>

<li>U.K. life expectancy for 2024 was <strong>81.92</strong>, a <strong>0.83% increase</strong> from 2023.</li>
<li>U.K. life expectancy for 2023 was <strong>81.24</strong>, a <strong>0.28% increase</strong> from 2022.</li>
<li>U.K. life expectancy for 2022 was <strong>81.01</strong>, a <strong>0.45% increase</strong> from 2021.</li>
</ul>Life expectancy at birth indicates the number of years a newborn infant would live if prevailing patterns of mortality at the time of its birth were to stay the same throughout its life.