US states by life expectancy

Name: US states by life expectancy, 2018
Creator: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
License: Public domain (US government work); citation requested

Hawaii had the highest life expectancy of 51 states in 2018, at 81 years. West Virginia had the lowest, at 74.4 years. The median was 78.6 years and the figure for the United States was 78.7 years. Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Highest81Hawaii

Lowest74.4West Virginia

Median78.651 states

United States78.7History

All states, 2018

CSV Chart (SVG)

years. Source: CDC. Retrieved 2026-10-09.

Full ranking

Rank	States	2018 years
1	Hawaii	81
2	California	80.8
3	Minnesota	80.5
3	New York	80.5
5	Connecticut	80.4
6	Massachusetts	80.1
7	Colorado	80
7	Washington	80
9	New Jersey	79.8
9	Rhode Island	79.8
11	Oregon	79.7
12	Utah	79.6
13	North Dakota	79.3
13	Vermont	79.3
13	Wisconsin	79.3
16	Iowa	79.2
17	Nebraska	79.1
17	New Hampshire	79.1
19	Idaho	79
19	Virginia	79
21	Florida	78.9
21	South Dakota	78.9
23	Illinois	78.8
24	Arizona	78.7
24	Montana	78.7
26	Maine	78.6
27	Maryland	78.5
28	Texas	78.4
29	Pennsylvania	78.1
29	Wyoming	78.1
31	Alaska	78
31	Kansas	78
33	Nevada	77.9
34	Delaware	77.8
35	District of Columbia	77.7
35	Michigan	77.7
37	North Carolina	77.6
38	Georgia	77.2
38	New Mexico	77.2
40	Indiana	76.8
40	Ohio	76.8
42	Missouri	76.6
43	South Carolina	76.5
44	Arkansas	75.6
44	Louisiana	75.6
44	Oklahoma	75.6
47	Tennessee	75.5
48	Kentucky	75.3
49	Alabama	75.1
50	Mississippi	74.6
51	West Virginia	74.4

Other periods

2021
2020
2019
2018

About this ranking

Average number of years a newborn would live at current age-specific mortality, both sexes.

United States: NCHS period life tables. National figures from 1900 to 1932 cover only the states then in the death registration area. State figures are available for 2018 to 2021.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the states are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). NCHS: U.S. State Life Expectancy by Sex, 2018 to 2021 (a5a8-jsrq, ncvk-7amm, ss2j-8ajj, it4f-frdc), total. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/life-expectancy.htm. Retrieved 2026-10-09.

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Questions

Which state has the highest life expectancy?

Hawaii, with 81 years in 2018, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Which state has the lowest life expectancy?

West Virginia, with 74.4 years in 2018.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, NCHS: U.S. State Life Expectancy by Sex, 2018 to 2021 (a5a8-jsrq, ncvk-7amm, ss2j-8ajj, it4f-frdc), total. Retrieved 2026-10-09.