Friday, December 19, 2025

US Gains in Life Expectancy 12-19-25

U.S. life expectancy at birth generally rose from around 70 years in the mid-1960s (e.g., 70.2 in 1965) towards the late 70s by the early 2000s, peaking near 78.9 years before dipping due to COVID-19 (to ~76.98 in 2020, 76.33 in 2021), then recovering to about 78.39 years by 2023, with women consistently living longer than men.  

Here's a breakdown of key years and trends:

Early Years (1960s-1970s)

1965: Around 70.2 years (73.8 for women, 66.8 for men).

1970: Rose to roughly 70.8 years, with increases continuing through the decade. 

Growth & Plateau (1980s-2010s)

1980: Around 73.6 years.

2000: Reached about 76.6 years.

2010s: Hovered around 78.5-78.7 years, showing steady growth. 

Recent Decline & Recovery (2020s)

2019: A high of 78.79 years.

2020 (COVID-19): Dropped to 76.98 years.

2021: Further decline to 76.33 years.

2023: Increased to 78.39 years (75.8 for males, 81.1 for females). 

Key Takeaways

Long-Term Gain: Significant increase over the period, despite recent setbacks.

Gender Gap: Women consistently have higher life expectancy than men.

Recent Trends: The COVID-19 pandemic caused a notable dip, but recovery is underway. 

In 2023, life expectancy at birth for the total U.S. population was 78.4 years, a 0.9-year increase from 77.5 years in 2022. Current projections for 2025 estimate a further slight increase to approximately 79.4 years. 

The following table summarizes life expectancy at birth for the total U.S. population by decade and recent years:

Year   Life Expectancy (Years)

1965   70.2

1975   72.6

1985   74.6

1995   75.6

2005   77.5

2015   78.7

2025   79.4

Key Historical Trends

Decade of Growth: The largest historical gains occurred between 1970 and 1980, when life expectancy increased by roughly three years (70.8 to 73.7).

Recent Decline and Recovery: Life expectancy experienced a sharp two-year decline in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the opioid epidemic, dropping to its lowest level since 1996 (76.1 years in some reports).

2023-2025 Rebound: According to CDC data released in late 2024, life expectancy increased by nearly 11 months in 2023. Projections suggest this upward trend will continue through 2025.

Demographic Gaps (2023): Life expectancy for females was 81.1 years compared to 75.8 years for males, a gap of 5.3 years.

https://www.google.com/search?q=life+expectancy+by+year+in+usa+by+year+from+1965+to+present

In 1905, the average life expectancy at birth in the U.S. was around 47 to 50 years, with males (around 49.5) slightly lower than females (around 52.8), though this figure was heavily skewed by high infant mortality and varied significantly by race, with Black Americans facing much shorter expectations, around 31 years. 

https://www.google.com/search?q=life+expectancy+in+us+in+1905

Comments

US Life expectancy increased by about 10 years over 60 years from1965 to 2025.

US Life expectancy increased by about 30 years over 60 years from 1905 to 1965.

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader

 

No comments: