Special Report

States With the Longest Life Expectancy According to the CDC

Alex Potemkin / E+ via Getty Images

According to a report by the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics, the average life expectancy for a person born in the US in 2019 was 78.8 years nationwide. That’s the overall number, though, and life expectancy varies considerably from state to state. 

To determine the states with the highest and lowest life expectancies, 24/7 Tempo reviewed the National Center for Health Statistics’s National Vital Statistics Reports for 2019, the most recent year for which complete data is available. It illustrates the extent to which your place of residence can have a significant impact on your longevity. (Here are the American counties with the shortest life expectancy.)

Research from the Milbank Quarterly, a public health policy journal, delved into the question of why longevity estimates vary so much. The study looked at how state policies regarding tobacco use, civil rights, and the environment factor into life expectancy. Reviewing data from 1970 to 2014, researchers concluded that state economic policies setting minimum wages and anti-discrimination laws can positively influence health and life expectancy. For example, anti-discrimination laws protect people from racism and sexism, which has an adverse impact on their physical and mental health. Paid sick leave can also improve an individual’s health.

Click here to see states with the longest life expectancy, according to the CDC

The results of the CDC report suggest that if you want to live a long, healthy life, you should move to Hawaii. There, your life expectancy at birth in 2019 would have been 80.9 years in general – 83.9 if you’re a woman. That’s six-and-a-half years more than if you were born in Mississippi, where lifespans are estimated to be the shortest in the US. The Aloha State is also in the top ten in our list of all 50 states ranked from worst to best for a healthy retirement.

SeanPavonePhoto / iStock via Getty Images

50. Mississippi
> Life expectancy at birth: 74.4 years
> Male life expectancy at birth: 71.2 years (the lowest)
> Female life expectancy at birth: 77.6 years (2nd lowest)

[in-text-ad]

Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images

49. West Virginia
> Life expectancy at birth: 74.5 years
> Male life expectancy at birth: 71.9 years (2nd lowest)
> Female life expectancy at birth: 77.3 years (the lowest)

Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images

48. Alabama
> Life expectancy at birth: 75.2 years
> Male life expectancy at birth: 72.2 years (3rd lowest)
> Female life expectancy at birth: 78.2 years (4th lowest)

Davel5957 / iStock via Getty Images

47. Kentucky
> Life expectancy at birth: 75.5 years
> Male life expectancy at birth: 72.9 years (6th lowest)
> Female life expectancy at birth: 78 years (3rd lowest)

[in-text-ad-2]

Kruck20 / iStock via Getty Images

46. Tennessee
> Life expectancy at birth: 75.6 years
> Male life expectancy at birth: 72.8 years (4th lowest)
> Female life expectancy at birth: 78.5 years (7th lowest)

Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images

45. Arkansas
> Life expectancy at birth: 75.7 years
> Male life expectancy at birth: 73 years (7th lowest)
> Female life expectancy at birth: 78.4 years (6th lowest)

[in-text-ad]

Majestic_Aerials / iStock via Getty Images

44. Oklahoma
> Life expectancy at birth: 75.7 years
> Male life expectancy at birth: 73.2 years (8th lowest)
> Female life expectancy at birth: 78.3 years (5th lowest)

felixmizioznikov / iStock via Getty Images

43. Louisiana
> Life expectancy at birth: 75.7 years
> Male life expectancy at birth: 72.8 years (5th lowest)
> Female life expectancy at birth: 78.6 years (8th lowest)

Kruck20 / iStock via Getty Images

42. South Carolina
> Life expectancy at birth: 76.8 years
> Male life expectancy at birth: 73.9 years (9th lowest)
> Female life expectancy at birth: 79.7 years (11th lowest)

[in-text-ad-2]

pawel.gaul / E+ via Getty Images

41. Ohio
> Life expectancy at birth: 76.9 years
> Male life expectancy at birth: 74.3 years (12th lowest)
> Female life expectancy at birth: 79.5 years (9th lowest)

Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images

40. New Mexico
> Life expectancy at birth: 76.9 years
> Male life expectancy at birth: 73.9 years (10th lowest)
> Female life expectancy at birth: 80.1 years (15th lowest)

[in-text-ad]

Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images

39. Missouri
> Life expectancy at birth: 76.9 years
> Male life expectancy at birth: 74.1 years (11th lowest)
> Female life expectancy at birth: 79.8 years (12th lowest)

f11photo / iStock via Getty Images

38. Indiana
> Life expectancy at birth: 77 years
> Male life expectancy at birth: 74.5 years (13th lowest)
> Female life expectancy at birth: 79.5 years (10th lowest)

Kruck20 / iStock via Getty Images

37. Georgia
> Life expectancy at birth: 77.4 years
> Male life expectancy at birth: 74.9 years (14th lowest)
> Female life expectancy at birth: 79.9 years (13th lowest)

[in-text-ad-2]

Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images

36. North Carolina
> Life expectancy at birth: 77.6 years
> Male life expectancy at birth: 75 years (15th lowest)
> Female life expectancy at birth: 80.1 years (16th lowest)

DenisTangneyJr / E+ via Getty Images

35. Wyoming
> Life expectancy at birth: 77.7 years
> Male life expectancy at birth: 75.4 years (17th lowest)
> Female life expectancy at birth: 80.5 years (19th lowest)

[in-text-ad]

John Pennell / iStock via Getty Images

34. Alaska
> Life expectancy at birth: 77.7 years
> Male life expectancy at birth: 75.8 years (22nd lowest)
> Female life expectancy at birth: 79.9 years (14th lowest)

Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images

33. Michigan
> Life expectancy at birth: 78 years
> Male life expectancy at birth: 75.6 years (19th lowest)
> Female life expectancy at birth: 80.3 years (17th lowest)

4kodiak / iStock via Getty Images

32. Nevada
> Life expectancy at birth: 78 years
> Male life expectancy at birth: 75.6 years (18th lowest)
> Female life expectancy at birth: 80.6 years (20th lowest)

[in-text-ad-2]

DenisTangneyJr / iStock via Getty Images

31. Delaware
> Life expectancy at birth: 78.1 years
> Male life expectancy at birth: 75.1 years (16th lowest)
> Female life expectancy at birth: 81 years (25th lowest)

walencienne / iStock via Getty Images

30. Kansas
> Life expectancy at birth: 78.2 years
> Male life expectancy at birth: 75.9 years (24th lowest)
> Female life expectancy at birth: 80.4 years (18th lowest)

[in-text-ad]

ChrisBoswell / iStock via Getty Images

29. Maine
> Life expectancy at birth: 78.3 years
> Male life expectancy at birth: 75.8 years (23rd lowest)
> Female life expectancy at birth: 80.9 years (23rd lowest)

Joecho-16 / iStock via Getty Images

28. Pennsylvania
> Life expectancy at birth: 78.3 years
> Male life expectancy at birth: 75.7 years (20th lowest)
> Female life expectancy at birth: 80.9 years (24th lowest)

Jacob Boomsma / iStock via Getty Images

27. South Dakota
> Life expectancy at birth: 78.4 years
> Male life expectancy at birth: 76.1 years (25th lowest)
> Female life expectancy at birth: 80.8 years (22nd lowest)

[in-text-ad-2]

peeterv / iStock via Getty Images

26. Montana
> Life expectancy at birth: 78.4 years
> Male life expectancy at birth: 76.2 years (23rd highest)
> Female life expectancy at birth: 80.8 years (21st lowest)

krblokhin / iStock via Getty Images

25. Maryland
> Life expectancy at birth: 78.5 years
> Male life expectancy at birth: 75.8 years (21st lowest)
> Female life expectancy at birth: 81.2 years (24th highest)

[in-text-ad]

Raymond Palmer / iStock via Getty Images

24. Texas
> Life expectancy at birth: 78.6 years
> Male life expectancy at birth: 76.1 years (24th highest)
> Female life expectancy at birth: 81 years (25th highest)

Jacob Boomsma / iStock via Getty Images

23. North Dakota
> Life expectancy at birth: 78.8 years
> Male life expectancy at birth: 76.3 years (21st highest)
> Female life expectancy at birth: 81.5 years (21st highest)

Davel5957 / iStock via Getty Images

22. Arizona
> Life expectancy at birth: 78.8 years
> Male life expectancy at birth: 76.1 years (25th highest)
> Female life expectancy at birth: 81.6 years (15th highest)

[in-text-ad-2]

JaySi / iStock via Getty Images

21. Illinois
> Life expectancy at birth: 79 years
> Male life expectancy at birth: 76.4 years (20th highest)
> Female life expectancy at birth: 81.5 years (19th highest)

pabradyphoto / iStock via Getty Images

20. Iowa
> Life expectancy at birth: 79 years
> Male life expectancy at birth: 76.5 years (19th highest)
> Female life expectancy at birth: 81.6 years (16th highest)

[in-text-ad]

Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images

19. Florida
> Life expectancy at birth: 79 years
> Male life expectancy at birth: 76.3 years (22nd highest)
> Female life expectancy at birth: 81.8 years (13th highest)

Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images

18. Virginia
> Life expectancy at birth: 79.1 years
> Male life expectancy at birth: 76.8 years (18th highest)
> Female life expectancy at birth: 81.3 years (23rd highest)

Jacob Boomsma / iStock via Getty Images

17. Nebraska
> Life expectancy at birth: 79.2 years
> Male life expectancy at birth: 77.1 years (14th highest)
> Female life expectancy at birth: 81.3 years (22nd highest)

[in-text-ad-2]

Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images

16. Wisconsin16
> Life expectancy at birth: 79.3 years
> Male life expectancy at birth: 77 years (16th highest)
> Female life expectancy at birth: 81.5 years (18th highest)

Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images

15. New Hampshire
> Life expectancy at birth: 79.4 years
> Male life expectancy at birth: 77.1 years (15th highest)
> Female life expectancy at birth: 81.6 years (14th highest)

[in-text-ad]

SeanPavonePhoto / iStock via Getty Images

14. Rhode Island
> Life expectancy at birth: 79.5 years
> Male life expectancy at birth: 77 years (17th highest)
> Female life expectancy at birth: 81.8 years (12th highest)

Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images

13. Idaho
> Life expectancy at birth: 79.5 years
> Male life expectancy at birth: 77.5 years (11th highest)
> Female life expectancy at birth: 81.5 years (20th highest)

Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images

12. Oregon
> Life expectancy at birth: 79.6 years
> Male life expectancy at birth: 77.3 years (12th highest)
> Female life expectancy at birth: 81.9 years (11th highest)

[in-text-ad-2]

DenisTangneyJr / E+ via Getty Images

11. Utah
> Life expectancy at birth: 79.7 years
> Male life expectancy at birth: 78 years (4th highest)
> Female life expectancy at birth: 81.5 years (17th highest)

SeanPavonePhoto / iStock via Getty Images

10. Vermont
> Life expectancy at birth: 79.8 years
> Male life expectancy at birth: 77.2 years (13th highest)
> Female life expectancy at birth: 82.3 years (8th highest)

[in-text-ad]

marekuliasz / iStock via Getty Images

9. Colorado
> Life expectancy at birth: 80 years
> Male life expectancy at birth: 77.8 years (8th highest)
> Female life expectancy at birth: 82.2 years (9th highest)

aiisha5 / iStock via Getty Images

8. Washington
> Life expectancy at birth: 80 years
> Male life expectancy at birth: 77.9 years (7th highest)
> Female life expectancy at birth: 82.1 years (10th highest)

OlegAlbinsky / E+ via Getty Images

7. New Jersey
> Life expectancy at birth: 80.1 years
> Male life expectancy at birth: 77.6 years (10th highest)
> Female life expectancy at birth: 82.5 years (7th highest)

[in-text-ad-2]

DenisTangneyJr / E+ via Getty Images

6. Connecticut
> Life expectancy at birth: 80.3 years
> Male life expectancy at birth: 77.7 years (9th highest)
> Female life expectancy at birth: 82.8 years (4th highest)

zrfphoto / iStock via Getty Images

5. Massachusetts
> Life expectancy at birth: 80.4 years
> Male life expectancy at birth: 77.9 years (6th highest)
> Female life expectancy at birth: 82.8 years (5th highest)

[in-text-ad]

pabradyphoto / iStock via Getty Images

4. Minnesota
> Life expectancy at birth: 80.4 years
> Male life expectancy at birth: 78.3 years (2nd highest)
> Female life expectancy at birth: 82.6 years (6th highest)

TomasSereda / iStock via Getty Images

3. New York
> Life expectancy at birth: 80.7 years
> Male life expectancy at birth: 78.2 years (3rd highest)
> Female life expectancy at birth: 83.1 years (3rd highest)

DutcherAerials / E+ via Getty Images

2. California
> Life expectancy at birth: 80.9 years
> Male life expectancy at birth: 78.4 years (the highest)
> Female life expectancy at birth: 83.3 years (2nd highest)

[in-text-ad-2]

okimo / iStock via Getty Images

1. Hawaii
> Life expectancy at birth: 80.9 years
> Male life expectancy at birth: 78 years (5th highest)
> Female life expectancy at birth: 83.9 years (the highest)

Find a Qualified Financial Advisor (Sponsor)

Finding a qualified financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to 3 fiduciary financial advisors in your area in 5 minutes. Each advisor has been vetted by SmartAsset and is held to a fiduciary standard to act in your best interests. If you’re ready to be matched with local advisors that can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.

Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.