25 States with the Lowest Life Expectancy in the US

Meerub Anjum
9 min read

In This Article:

In this article, we will look into the 25 states with the lowest life expectancy in the US. If you want to skip our detailed analysis, you can go directly to the 5 States with the Lowest Life Expectancy in the US.

Health Outlook of the United States

According to the OECD Health at a Glance 2023 report, life expectancy in the United States was 76.4 years, which is 3.9 years lower than the OECD average. The US reported high treatable and preventable mortality rates of 98 per 100,000 and 238 per 100,000 respectively in 2022. A total of 3.1% of the US population reported their health as bad or very bad in 2022. In 2022, diabetes prevalence surpassed the OECD average in the US, which is one of the top causes of death in the country. The US reported 14.5 deaths per 100,000 population from air pollution. The obesity prevalence was higher than the OECD average in the country. Obesity is one of the major factors leading to heart disease, which is one of the top causes of death in the US.

Leading Causes of Death in the US

According to the National Center for Health and Statistics (NCHS), heart diseases were reported to be the leading cause of death in the US, recording total deaths of 659,041 in 2019. It was followed by malignant neoplasms, accidents, chronic respiratory diseases, cerebrovascular diseases, Alzheimer's, and diabetes among others.

According to the "Vital Statistics Rapid Release" report by NCHS, which provides a detailed breakdown of the contribution of leading causes of death to the change in life expectancy in the US, the country reported an increase in mortality from diseases including influenza and pneumonia, perinatal conditions, kidney disease, nutritional deficiencies, and congenital malformations in 2023. The increase in mortality by these diseases led to an overall decrease in life expectancy in the US, offsetting the positive impact of declining mortality from other causes. 

For the male population in the US, diseases including perinatal conditions, influenza and pneumonia, kidney disease, nutritional deficiencies, and congenital malformations increased mortality. Whereas, for women, the leading causes of death that negatively contributed to the overall life expectancy included influenza and pneumonia, nutritional deficiencies, chronic lower respiratory diseases, kidney disease, and perinatal conditions.

US Healthcare Market

According to a report by McKinsey and Company, the US healthcare market was worth $654 billion in 2021. The market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4% and reach $790 billion in 2026. The market is driven by several factors including an aging population, increasing Medicare Advantage penetration, and rising insurance premium rates. Various segments in the market, such as Medicare, commercial segment, pharmacy services, and healthcare services and technology, are expected to experience significant growth over the forecasted period.

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