Life expectancy dropped the most in these US states

Where you live in the United States can impact your life expectancy by as much as nine years.

To discover where life expectancy is decreasing the most and the least, Forbes Advisor used the most recent data available from the CDC (released on Aug. 26) to calculate the average life expectancy change in each state and the District of Columbia from 2018 to 2021. 

The data showed that life expectancy decreased in all 50 states from 2018 to 2021, with New Mexico having the largest decrease (-5.4%, from 77.2 years to 73 years) and Massachusetts having the smallest (-0.6%, from 80.1 years to 79.6 years). 

The average life expectancy at birth in the United States was also found to be 77.5 years as of 2022.

Interestingly, seven of the 10 states where life expectancy decreased the most are located in the South: Mississippi, West Virginia, Louisiana, Alabama, Tennessee, Arkansas and Kentucky.

Six of the 10 states where life expectancy has decreased the least are located in the Northeast: Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Vermont, Connecticut and Rhode Island.

The top three states with the longest life expectancy are Hawaii (79.9 years), Massachusetts (79.6 years) and Connecticut (79.2 years).

Meanwhile, the three states with the shortest life expectancy are Mississippi (70.9 years), West Virginia (71 years) and Alabama (72 years).

When it comes to gender, the average life expectancy in the United States is higher for women than for men. Men are estimated to live 74.8 years and women are expected to live 80.2 years (2022).

Utah has the smallest gap between the average life expectancy of men and women (3.9 years) and New Mexico has the largest (7.6 years).

The average life expectancy in the U.S. increased between 2021 and 2022 (from 76.4 years in 2021 to 77.5 years in 2022). That was the first year-over-year increase since 2018-2019.

The data shows that most of this decline is attributable to COVID-19 deaths, drug overdoses and accidental injury.

According to the analysis by Forbes, the top five leading causes of death in the U.S. are heart disease, cancer, fatal accidents, COVID-19 and cerebrovascular diseases (i.e. strokes and complications from brain aneurysms, etc.).

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in all but eight states. In those eight states, cancer ranks as the leading cause of death.

Chronic lower respiratory disease ranks as one of the top five leading causes of death in 28 states, and Alzheimer's disease ranks as one of the top five leading causes of death in eight states.

COVID-19 ranks in the top five leading causes of death in all but six states; Hawaii, Maine, New Hampshire, Oregon, Vermont and Washington.

Read the full breakdown here.

States where life expectancy decreased the most from 2018 to 2021

• 1. New Mexico (-5.44%)
• 2. Mississippi (-4.96%)
• 3. Arizona (-4.7%)
• 4. West Virginia (-4.57%)
• 5. Louisiana (-4.5%)
• 6. Alaska (-4.49%)
• 7. Alabama (-4.13%)
• 8. Tennessee (-4.11%)
• 9. Arkansas (-4.10%)
• 10. Kentucky (-3.98%)

States where life expectancy decreased the least from 2018 to 2021

• 1. Massachusetts (-0.62%)
• 2. New Hampshire (-0.76%)
• 3. New Jersey (-1%)
• 4. Vermont (-1.13%)
• 5. Hawaii (-1.36%)

Methodology:

To uncover the states where life expectancy was decreasing the most and least, Forbes Advisor analyzed the most recent data available from the Centers for Disease Control for all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

To determine the average life expectancy shift Forbes Advisor analyzed the average life expectancy in 2018 and 2021, calculating the percentage change. Forbes Advisor chose to analyze this span of years to examine the average life expectancy nationwide and in each state before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.