US EditionUS life expectancy hit an all-time high in 2024, CDC says
U.S. life expectancy reached a record 79 years in 2024 due to declines in COVID-19 and drug overdose deaths, with unintentional injuries dropping over 14%, CDC data shows.
- Thursday, the National Center for Health Statistics reported U.S. life expectancy rose to 79 years in 2024, more than a half year higher than in 2023.
- Declines in COVID-19 and drug overdoses helped, with COVID deaths at 47,539 in 2024 and overdose rates falling more than 26% between October 2023 and September 2024, CDC data show.
- Measured data show the age‑adjusted death rate fell from about 751 to about 722 per 100,000 Americans, with about 3.07 million deaths in 2024, about 18,000 fewer than in 2023.
- The data show continued international and racial gaps as the United States still ranks below countries like Australia and Japan, with American Indian men and Black men having death rates of about 1,200 and 1,000 per 100,000.
- Suicide moved into the top 10 even as suicides declined in 2024, while preliminary 2025 statistics and provisional CDC data show further drops in overdose deaths.
138 Articles
138 Articles
Life is actually getting better—and longer—for Americans, despite everything you read in the news
U.S. life expectancy rose to 79 years in 2024 — the highest mark in American history. It’s the result of not only the dissipation of the COVID-19 pandemic, but also waning death rates from all the nation’s top killers, including heart disease, cancer and drug overdoses. What’s more, preliminary statistics suggest a continued improvement in 2025. “It’s pretty much good news all the way around,” said Robert Anderson, of the National Center for Hea…
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If you look at the numbers, Americans aren’t living as long as people in many other wealthy countries—even though the U.S. spends far more on healthcare. In 2023, life expectancy here climbed back up to 78.4 years, but that’s still over four years behind the average for places like Japan, Switzerland, and Australia. Chronic health issues, higher rates of overdose and suicide, and the lingering impact of COVID-19 all play a part in keeping the U.…
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