Life expectancy declined in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., from 2018 to 2021, with New Mexico experiencing the largest decrease and Massachusetts the smallest, according to a new report from Forbes Advisor.
To determine the states where life expectancy is falling the most and least during that period, the Forbes Advisor Life Insurance team examined the most recent data available from the CDC.
The states where life expectancy decreased the most, per the analysis:
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%)
The states where life expectancy decreased the least, per the analysis:
1. Massachusetts (-0.62%)
2. New Hampshire (-0.76%)
3. New Jersey (-1%)
4. Vermont (-1.13%)
5. Hawaii (-1.36%)
6. Connecticut (-1.49%)
7. Rhode Island (-1.63%)
8. Nebraska (-1.64%)
9. Maryland (-1.66%)
10. Utah (-1.76%)
Additional findings:
- The life expectancy decrease in each state was partly due to COVID-19 deaths, drug overdoses and accidental injuries.
- The average life expectancy in the U.S. is higher for women (80.2 years) than for men (74.8 years) as of 2022.
- The average life expectancy in the U.S. increased from 76.4 years in 2021 to 77.5 years in 2022.
View the full findings here.