Healthy life expectancy in New Zealand
New Zealand: Healthy life expectancy was 69.98 Years in 2021. ▬ Flat
Healthy life expectancy in New Zealand, 2000–2021
Source: World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in Years.
Analysis
In 2021, healthy life expectancy in New Zealand stood at 69.98 Years.
The figure is down 0.3% on the previous year and up 1.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, healthy life expectancy in New Zealand peaked at 70.19 Years in 2020 and was at its lowest, 67.23 Years, in 2001.
New Zealand ranks 18th of 185 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
Healthy life expectancy in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | Years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 67.27 Years | — |
| 2001 | 67.23 Years | -0.1% |
| 2002 | 67.39 Years | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 67.7 Years | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 67.8 Years | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 68.36 Years | +0.8% |
| 2006 | 68.36 Years | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 68.48 Years | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 68.7 Years | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 68.92 Years | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 69.19 Years | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 69.05 Years | -0.2% |
| 2012 | 69.27 Years | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 69.44 Years | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 69.3 Years | -0.2% |
| 2015 | 69.37 Years | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 69.67 Years | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 69.27 Years | -0.6% |
| 2018 | 69.71 Years | +0.6% |
| 2019 | 69.75 Years | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 70.19 Years | +0.6% |
| 2021 | 69.98 Years | -0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 68.02 Years | 67.23 Years | 68.92 Years | 10 |
| 2010s | 69.4 Years | 69.05 Years | 69.75 Years | 10 |
| 2020s | 70.09 Years | 69.98 Years | 70.19 Years | 2 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
More health data for New Zealand
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.94 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.4815 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,116 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 33 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 80 and above, female, per capita 0.024 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, annual growth rate 3.96 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, per capita 0.0184 units per person (2025)
- Pertussis - number of reported cases, gaps filled 2,678 (2025)
- Pertussis - number of reported cases, per capita 0.0005 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is healthy life expectancy in New Zealand?
- Healthy life expectancy in New Zealand was 69.98 Years in 2021, according to World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest healthy life expectancy recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 70.19 Years in 2020.
- What is the lowest healthy life expectancy recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 67.23 Years in 2001.
- How does New Zealand rank for healthy life expectancy?
- New Zealand ranks 18th out of 185 countries with data for 2021.
- Is healthy life expectancy rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this New Zealand data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Healthy life expectancy. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 22 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
The estimated average number of years lived free from disability or disease burden. This is based on period life expectancy, after adjusting for the number of years lived in less than "full health" due to disease and/or injury.