The 5 states with the longest life expectancies, and the 5 with the shortest
Mykenna Maniece
- A new study suggests human life expectancy is plateauing.
- In 2022, life expectancy in the US was 77.5 years, but values vary across states.
As anti-aging regimens and longevity treatments continue to gain traction, a new study suggests that humans may have reached a roadblock on their quest for longer lifespans.
On Monday, Nature Aging published an analysis suggesting human life expectancy is plateauing after decades of progress.
Lead study author S. Jay Olshansky, a biostatistician at the University of Illinois, Chicago, told Business Insider's Hilary Brueck, "We've got a lot of people making it out to 85 or 90" but "100 isn't going to happen for most people."
According to a 2022 report by the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics, the average life expectancy in the US was 77.5 years. However, the value varies across states, as factors like environment, diet, exercise, genetics, access to healthcare, and other lifestyle choices contribute to differences.
Using the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics 2021 report — the most recent CDC state data available — here are the five states with the longest life expectancies and the five states with the shortest.
HIGHEST: 5. New Jersey
Life expectancy: 79.0 years
The "Garden State" has the fifth-longest life expectancy in the US, per the CDC data.
According to the Census' 2023 ACS one-year estimates, 92.8% of residents have health insurance compared to 92.1% of Americans nationally. The CDC's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System 2022 also said that adults in New Jersey reported the second-lowest rates of depressive disorders.
The state was named the third-best state to live in by personal-finance company WalletHub, which compared the US states across affordability, economy, education and health, quality of life, and safety. It was also named the third happiest state in the country.
4. New York
Life expectancy: 79.0 years
New York, which WalletHub ranked the ninth-best state to live in, also has a life expectancy of 79 years. Just 4.8% of residents are without healthcare coverage. Adults in the state also reported some of the lowest levels of depressive disorders, at 17.8%.
3. Connecticut
Life expectancy: 79.2 years
The "Constitution State," which was ranked the seventh happiest in the country, has the third-longest life expectancy in the US at 79.2 years. According to the Census, 94.3% of residents have health insurance.
2. Massachusetts
Life expectancy: 79.6 years
Massachusetts has the second-longest life expectancy in the country. Only 2.6% of the population lacks healthcare coverage, and in 2022, the American Lung Association reported that 10.4% of adults in the state smoke cigarettes compared to 11.6% of adults nationally.
WalletHub ranked Massachusetts the best state to live in, reporting that it has the best healthcare system in the country. The state has "the lowest share of adults in fair or poor health," according to the report.
1. Hawaii
Life expectancy: 79.9 years
Hawaii has the longest life expectancy in the country. WalletHub named it the happiest state in the US thanks, in part, to its No. 1 ranking for its residents' emotional and physical well-being.
In the state, 96.8% of residents have health insurance.
LOWEST: 5. Kentucky
Life expectancy: 72.3 years
Kentucky has the fifth-shortest life expectancy in the US. More than a quarter of adults in the "Bluegrass State" reported being diagnosed with a depressive disorder and 17.4% of adults reported smoking cigarettes.
4. Louisiana
Life expectancy: 72.2 years
The "Pelican State" has the fourth-shortest life expectancy in the country, at 72.2 years. According to WalletHub, residents in the state report one of the lowest adequate sleep rates and some of the longest work hours. The American Lung Association also reported that 16.7% of adults in the state smoked cigarettes in 2022.
3. Alabama
Life expectancy: 72.0 years
Alabama has the third-shortest life expectancy. According to the Census, 8.5% of people do not have health insurance. Meanwhile, 15.6% of adults reported smoking cigarettes in 2022. WalletHub also reported that Alabama has one of the lowest sports participation rates and one of the lowest adequate sleep rates.
2. West Virginia
Life expectancy: 71.0 years
West Virginia has the second-shortest life expectancy. Twenty-one percent of adults reported smoking cigarettes in 2022, the highest percentage in the country. The "Mountain State" also has one of the highest rates of adults with depressive disorders, at 26.9%.
1. Mississippi
Life expectancy: 70.9 years
Mississippi has the shortest life expectancy in the US, at 70.9 years.
WalletHub, which ranked Mississippi the sixth-worst state to live in, reported nearly one in five of the state's residents lives in poverty. Mississippi also has high infant mortality rates, with Black infants disproportionately affected. Additionally, it has the lowest sports participation rate in the country and high rates of obesity. Employees also often work longer hours than the national average.
Among its residents, 10.3% are without health insurance, while 20.5% of adults reported being diagnosed with depressive disorders, and 17.4% reported smoking cigarettes.
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