US EditionUS life expectancy hit an all-time high in 2024, CDC says
U.S. life expectancy rose over half a year to 79 in 2024 as deaths from COVID-19 and drug overdoses fell by 14%, signaling post-pandemic health improvements, CDC data shows.
- Thursday, the National Center for Health Statistics reported U.S. life expectancy rose to 79 years in 2024, more than a half year higher than in 2023.
- Declines in COVID-19 and drug overdoses helped, with COVID deaths at 47,539 in 2024 and overdose rates falling more than 26% between October 2023 and September 2024, CDC data show.
- Measured data show the age‑adjusted death rate fell from about 751 to about 722 per 100,000 Americans, with about 3.07 million deaths in 2024, about 18,000 fewer than in 2023.
- The data show continued international and racial gaps as the United States still ranks below countries like Australia and Japan, with American Indian men and Black men having death rates of about 1,200 and 1,000 per 100,000.
- Suicide moved into the top 10 even as suicides declined in 2024, while preliminary 2025 statistics and provisional CDC data show further drops in overdose deaths.
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131 Articles
Life is actually getting better—and longer—for Americans, despite everything you read in the news
U.S. life expectancy rose to 79 years in 2024 — the highest mark in American history. It’s the result of not only the dissipation of the COVID-19 pandemic, but also waning death rates from all the nation’s top killers, including heart disease, cancer and drug overdoses. What’s more, preliminary statistics suggest a continued improvement in 2025. “It’s pretty much good news all the way around,” said Robert Anderson, of the National Center for Hea…
Experts point out that public health programs and medical advances have been key in improving longevity
U.S. life expectancy hit record high in 2024: CDC report
Life expectancy in the U.S. rose to 79 years in 2024 — its highest level on record — driven by notable declines in drug overdose and COVID-related deaths, newly released data show. The overall U.S. death rate fell by nearly 4%, dropping from 750.5 deaths per 100,000 people in 2023 to 722.1 in 2024, according to a report released Thursday by the National Center for Health Statistics at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As a result, …
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