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.

The life expectancy of women at birth in the United States saw no significant changes in 2023 in comparison to the previous year 2022 and remained at around 81.1 years. However, 2023 marked the second consecutive increase of the life expectancy. Life expectancy at birth refers to the number of years that the average newborn can expect to live, providing that mortality patterns at the time of their birth do not change thereafter.Find more statistics on other topics about the United States with key insights such as infant mortality rate, total life expectancy at birth, and total fertility rate.

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.

The average for 2022 based on 24 countries was 77.36 years. The highest value was in Bermuda: 84.51 years and the lowest value was in Haiti: 66.7 years. The indicator is available from 1960 to 2022. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

This statistic shows the average life expectancy in North America for those born in 2022, by gender and region. In Canada, the average life expectancy was 80 years for males and 84 years for females.

Life expectancy in North America

Of those considered in this statistic, the life expectancy of female Canadian infants born in 2021 was the longest, at 84 years. Female infants born in America that year had a similarly high life expectancy of 81 years. Male infants, meanwhile, had lower life expectancies of 80 years (Canada) and 76 years (USA).

Compare this to the worldwide life expectancy for babies born in 2021: 75 years for women and 71 years for men. Of continents worldwide, North America ranks equal first in terms of life expectancy of (77 years for men and 81 years for women). Life expectancy is lowest in Africa at just 63 years and 66 years for males and females respectively. Japan is the country with the highest life expectancy worldwide for babies born in 2020.

Life expectancy is calculated according to current mortality rates of the population in question. Global variations in life expectancy are caused by differences in medical care, public health and diet, and reflect global inequalities in economic circumstances. Africa’s low life expectancy, for example, can be attributed in part to the AIDS epidemic. In 2019, around 72,000 people died of AIDS in South Africa, the largest amount worldwide. Nigeria, Tanzania and India were also high on the list of countries ranked by AIDS deaths that year. Likewise, Africa has by far the highest rate of mortality by communicable disease (i.e. AIDS, neglected tropics diseases, malaria and tuberculosis).

Life expectancy at birth, female (years) in China was reported at 80.93 years in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. China - Life expectancy at birth, female (years) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

Saudi Arabia: Life expectancy, in years, female: The latest value from 2022 is 79.53 years, an increase from 78.77 years in 2021. In comparison, the world average is 74.94 years, based on data from 192 countries. Historically, the average for Saudi Arabia from 1960 to 2022 is 67.8 years. The minimum value, 47.51 years, was reached in 1960 while the maximum of 79.53 years was recorded in 2022.

In 2023, the life expectancy of women at birth in Germany did not change in comparison to the previous year. The life expectancy of women at birth remained at 83 years. Life expectancy at birth refers to the number of years that the average newborn can expect to live, providing that mortality patterns at the time of their birth do not change thereafter.Find more statistics on other topics about Germany with key insights such as infant mortality rate, death rate, and crude birth rate.

Life expectancy at birth, female (years) in Canada was reported at 83.89 years in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Canada - Life expectancy at birth, female (years) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

The graph shows the life expectancy of women in China from 1960 to 2022 with forecasts until 2050. In 2022, the average life expectancy of women at birth in China was about 81.3 years.

Historical chart and dataset showing U.S. life expectancy by year from 1950 to 2025.

Life expectancy at birth, female (years) in Israel was reported at 85.5 years in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Israel - Life expectancy at birth, female (years) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

The USA: Life expectancy, in years, female: The latest value from 2022 is 80.2 years, an increase from 79.3 years in 2021. In comparison, the world average is 74.94 years, based on data from 192 countries. Historically, the average for the USA from 1960 to 2022 is 78.15 years. The minimum value, 73.1 years, was reached in 1960 while the maximum of 81.4 years was recorded in 2019.

Life expectancy at birth, female (years) in Japan was reported at 87.14 years in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Japan - Life expectancy at birth, female (years) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

The average for 2022 based on 44 countries was 81.91 years. The highest value was in Spain: 85.9 years and the lowest value was in Moldova: 73.32 years. The indicator is available from 1960 to 2022. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

Mauritania MR: Life Expectancy at Birth: Female data was reported at 64.745 Year in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 64.564 Year for 2015. Mauritania MR: Life Expectancy at Birth: Female data is updated yearly, averaging 59.181 Year from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2016, with 57 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 64.745 Year in 2016 and a record low of 43.920 Year in 1960. Mauritania MR: Life Expectancy at Birth: Female data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Mauritania – Table MR.World Bank: 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. (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;

Greece GR: Life Expectancy at Birth: Female data was reported at 83.700 Year in 2016. This stayed constant from the previous number of 83.700 Year for 2015. Greece GR: Life Expectancy at Birth: Female data is updated yearly, averaging 79.073 Year from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2016, with 57 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 84.100 Year in 2014 and a record low of 70.541 Year in 1960. Greece GR: Life Expectancy at Birth: Female data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Greece – Table GR.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. (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;

Taiwan Life Expectancy: Female: Age 80 data was reported at 10.356 Year Old in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 10.264 Year Old for 2016. Taiwan Life Expectancy: Female: Age 80 data is updated yearly, averaging 9.191 Year Old from Dec 1993 (Median) to 2017, with 25 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 10.523 Year Old in 2015 and a record low of 7.430 Year Old in 1994. Taiwan Life Expectancy: Female: Age 80 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Ministry of the Interior. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Taiwan – Table TW.G006: Vital Statistics.

The life expectancy figure used is for females aged under 1 year. Figures are based on the number of deaths registered and mid-year population estimates, aggregated over three consecutive years.

Expectation of life at a given age for an area is the average number of years a person would live if he or she experienced that area's age-specific mortality rates for that time period throughout his or her life. It is therefore not the number of years someone of that age in the area could actually expect to live, both because the death rates of the area are likely to change in the future and because people may live in other areas for at least part of their lives.

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Mali ML: Life Expectancy at Birth: Female data was reported at 58.674 Year in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 58.163 Year for 2015. Mali ML: Life Expectancy at Birth: Female data is updated yearly, averaging 45.552 Year from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2016, with 57 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 58.674 Year in 2016 and a record low of 29.026 Year in 1960. Mali ML: Life Expectancy at Birth: Female data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Mali – Table ML.World Bank: 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. (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;