US states by life expectancy

California had the highest life expectancy of 51 states in 2019, at 80.9 years. Mississippi had the lowest, at 74.4 years. The median was 78.4 years and the figure for the United States was 78.8 years. Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Highest80.9California
Lowest74.4Mississippi
Median78.451 states
United States78.8History

All states, 2019

CSVChart (SVG)

CaliforniaCalifornia: 80.9 years80.9HawaiiHawaii: 80.9 years80.9New YorkNew York: 80.7 years80.7MassachusettsMassachusetts: 80.4 years80.4MinnesotaMinnesota: 80.4 years80.4ConnecticutConnecticut: 80.3 years80.3New JerseyNew Jersey: 80.1 years80.1ColoradoColorado: 80 years80WashingtonWashington: 80 years80VermontVermont: 79.8 years79.8UtahUtah: 79.7 years79.7OregonOregon: 79.6 years79.6IdahoIdaho: 79.5 years79.5Rhode IslandRhode Island: 79.5 years79.5New HampshireNew Hampshire: 79.4 years79.4WisconsinWisconsin: 79.3 years79.3NebraskaNebraska: 79.2 years79.2VirginiaVirginia: 79.1 years79.1FloridaFlorida: 79 years79IllinoisIllinois: 79 years79IowaIowa: 79 years79ArizonaArizona: 78.8 years78.8North DakotaNorth Dakota: 78.8 years78.8TexasTexas: 78.6 years78.6MarylandMaryland: 78.5 years78.5MontanaMontana: 78.4 years78.4South DakotaSouth Dakota: 78.4 years78.4MaineMaine: 78.3 years78.3PennsylvaniaPennsylvania: 78.3 years78.3KansasKansas: 78.2 years78.2DelawareDelaware: 78.1 years78.1District of ColumbiaDistrict of Columbia: 78 years78MichiganMichigan: 78 years78NevadaNevada: 78 years78AlaskaAlaska: 77.7 years77.7WyomingWyoming: 77.7 years77.7North CarolinaNorth Carolina: 77.6 years77.6GeorgiaGeorgia: 77.4 years77.4IndianaIndiana: 77 years77MissouriMissouri: 76.9 years76.9New MexicoNew Mexico: 76.9 years76.9OhioOhio: 76.9 years76.9South CarolinaSouth Carolina: 76.8 years76.8ArkansasArkansas: 75.7 years75.7LouisianaLouisiana: 75.7 years75.7OklahomaOklahoma: 75.7 years75.7TennesseeTennessee: 75.6 years75.6KentuckyKentucky: 75.5 years75.5AlabamaAlabama: 75.2 years75.2West VirginiaWest Virginia: 74.5 years74.5MississippiMississippi: 74.4 years74.4
years. Source: CDC. Retrieved 2026-10-09.

Full ranking

RankStates2019
years
Change on 2018
1California80.9+0.1
1Hawaii80.9-0.1
3New York80.7+0.2
4Massachusetts80.4+0.3
4Minnesota80.4-0.1
6Connecticut80.3-0.1
7New Jersey80.1+0.3
8Colorado800
8Washington800
10Vermont79.8+0.5
11Utah79.7+0.1
12Oregon79.6-0.1
13Idaho79.5+0.5
13Rhode Island79.5-0.3
15New Hampshire79.4+0.3
16Wisconsin79.30
17Nebraska79.2+0.1
18Virginia79.1+0.1
19Florida79+0.1
19Illinois79+0.2
19Iowa79-0.2
22Arizona78.8+0.1
22North Dakota78.8-0.5
24Texas78.6+0.2
25Maryland78.50
26Montana78.4-0.3
26South Dakota78.4-0.5
28Maine78.3-0.3
28Pennsylvania78.3+0.2
30Kansas78.2+0.2
31Delaware78.1+0.3
32District of Columbia78+0.3
32Michigan78+0.3
32Nevada78+0.1
35Alaska77.7-0.3
35Wyoming77.7-0.4
37North Carolina77.60
38Georgia77.4+0.2
39Indiana77+0.2
40Missouri76.9+0.3
40New Mexico76.9-0.3
40Ohio76.9+0.1
43South Carolina76.8+0.3
44Arkansas75.7+0.1
44Louisiana75.7+0.1
44Oklahoma75.7+0.1
47Tennessee75.6+0.1
48Kentucky75.5+0.2
49Alabama75.2+0.1
50West Virginia74.5+0.1
51Mississippi74.4-0.2

Other periods

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?

California, with 80.9 years in 2019, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Which state has the lowest life expectancy?

Mississippi, with 74.4 years in 2019.

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.

Life expectancy at birth: other rankings

US states: more rankings