1 of 8
Life expectancy in the United States is just over 78 years. While that number has rebounded since 2021, when it dropped to 76.4 years during the COVID-19 pandemic, it lags behind that of many other nations. In places like Australia, South Korea, and Italy, life expectancy ranges from 83 to 84 years old.
Why do people in the U.S. have shorter lives? Here are several potential reasons, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Sources: Wrigley-Field E, Raquib RV, et al. Morta... + 31
- Wrigley-Field E, Raquib RV, et al. Mortality Trends Among Early Adults in the United States, 1999-2023. JAMA Netw Open. 2025 Jan 2;8(1):e2457538.
- Boston University. Early Deaths in America, Explained. February 6, 2025.
- Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker. How Does U.S. Life Expectancy Compare to Other Countries? January 31, 2025.
- Central Intelligence Agency. Life Expectancy at Birth Country Comparison. Accessed October 1, 2025.
- Garnett MF, Miniño AM. Drug overdose deaths in the United States, 2003–2023. NCHS Data Brief, no 522. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2024.
- National Institute on Drug Abuse. Overdose Death Rates. August 2024.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Vital Statistics Reports. Deaths: Final Data for 2023. September 16, 2025.
- U.S. Department of Transportation. The Roadway Safety Problem. Novmeber 1, 2024.
- National Safety Council. Deaths by Age Group. Accessed October 1, 2025.
- U.S. Department of Transportation. Our Nation's Pedestrian Safety Crisis. December 11, 2023.
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Alcohol’s Effects on the Body. June 2025.
- National Institute of Mental Health. Suicide Statistics. August 2025.
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Treatment for Alcohol Problems: Finding and Getting Help. February 2025.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Heart Disease Facts and Statistics. October 4, 2024.
- Sayed A, Abramov D, et al. Reversals in the Decline of Heart Failure Mortality in the US, 1999 to 2021. JAMA Cardiol. 2024 Jun 1;9(6):585-589.
- American College of Cardiology. Heart Attacks Increasingly Common in Young Adults. March 7, 2019.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Heart Disease Risk Factors. December 2, 2024.
- American Heart Association. Understand Your Risks to Prevent a Heart Attack. December 9, 2024.
- Mathieu S, Treloar A, et al. The Role of Unemployment, Financial Hardship, and Economic Recession on Suicidal Behaviors and Interventions to Mitigate Their Impact: A Review. Front Public Health. 2022 Jul 6;10:907052.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Suicide FastStats. September 17, 2025.
- American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Risk Factors, Protective Factors, and Warning Signs. Accessed October 1, 2025.
- National Institute of Mental Health. Depression. December 2024.
- Mathieu S, Treloar A, et al. The Role of Unemployment, Financial Hardship, and Economic Recession on Suicidal Behaviors and Interventions to Mitigate Their Impact: A Review. Front Public Health. 2022 Jul 6;10:907052.
- Cancer Research Institute. Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month: Colorectal Cancer Rates Are Skyrocketing in Young Adults—Is Your Lifestyle Putting You at Risk? March 5, 2025.
- American Cancer Society. Colorectal Cancer Facts and Figures 2023. January 2023.
- U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Colorectal Cancer: Screening. May 18, 2021.
- Council on Criminal Justice. Homicide Trends Report. December, 2023.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Vital Statistics Reports. Deaths: Final Data for 2021. April 8, 2024.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Deaths: Leading Causes for 2022. December 9, 2024.
- Pew Research Center. What the Data Says About Gun Deaths in the U.S. March 5, 2025.
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Gun Violence in the United States. Accessed October 1, 2025.
- Bureau of Justice Statistics. Homicide Victims in the United States, 2023. May 2025.
