Life expectancy at birth oecd in United States
United States: Life expectancy at birth oecd was 76.4 in 2021. ▲ Rising
Latest (2021)
76.4
Change on year
down 0.8%
World rank
34th
of 49 countries
All-time high
78.9
in 2014
All-time low
69.7
in 1960
Years of data
62
1960–2021
Life expectancy at birth oecd in United States, 1960–2021
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2021, life expectancy at birth oecd in United States stood at 76.4.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.8% on the previous year and down 2.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, life expectancy at birth oecd in United States peaked at 78.9 in 2014 and was at its lowest, 69.7, in 1960.
That places United States 34th out of 49 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 62 years of available data.
Life expectancy at birth oecd in United States, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 69.7 | — |
| 1961 | 70.2 | +0.7% |
| 1962 | 70.1 | -0.1% |
| 1963 | 69.9 | -0.3% |
| 1964 | 70.2 | +0.4% |
| 1965 | 70.2 | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 70.2 | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 70.5 | +0.4% |
| 1968 | 70.2 | -0.4% |
| 1969 | 70.5 | +0.4% |
| 1970 | 70.8 | +0.4% |
| 1971 | 71.1 | +0.4% |
| 1972 | 71.2 | +0.1% |
| 1973 | 71.4 | +0.3% |
| 1974 | 72 | +0.8% |
| 1975 | 72.6 | +0.8% |
| 1976 | 72.9 | +0.4% |
| 1977 | 73.3 | +0.5% |
| 1978 | 73.5 | +0.3% |
| 1979 | 73.9 | +0.5% |
| 1980 | 73.7 | -0.3% |
| 1981 | 74.1 | +0.5% |
| 1982 | 74.5 | +0.5% |
| 1983 | 74.6 | +0.1% |
| 1984 | 74.7 | +0.1% |
| 1985 | 74.7 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 74.7 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 74.9 | +0.3% |
| 1988 | 74.9 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 75.1 | +0.3% |
| 1990 | 75.4 | +0.4% |
| 1991 | 75.5 | +0.1% |
| 1992 | 75.8 | +0.4% |
| 1993 | 75.5 | -0.4% |
| 1994 | 75.7 | +0.3% |
| 1995 | 75.8 | +0.1% |
| 1996 | 76.1 | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 76.5 | +0.5% |
| 1998 | 76.7 | +0.3% |
| 1999 | 76.7 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 76.8 | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 77 | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 77 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 77.2 | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 77.6 | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 77.6 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 77.8 | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 78.1 | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 78.2 | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 78.5 | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 78.7 | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 78.7 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 78.8 | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 78.8 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 78.9 | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 78.7 | -0.3% |
| 2016 | 78.7 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 78.6 | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 78.7 | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 78.8 | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 77 | -2.3% |
| 2021 | 76.4 | -0.8% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 76.4 is below the median for high income countries, which is 81.4, 94% of the median. (39 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 70.17 | 69.7 | 70.5 | 10 |
| 1970s | 72.27 | 70.8 | 73.9 | 10 |
| 1980s | 74.59 | 73.7 | 75.1 | 10 |
| 1990s | 75.97 | 75.4 | 76.7 | 10 |
| 2000s | 77.58 | 76.8 | 78.5 | 10 |
| 2010s | 78.74 | 78.6 | 78.9 | 10 |
| 2020s | 76.7 | 76.4 | 77 | 2 |
Countries ranked near United States
More health data for United States
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.67 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.1867 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 4,015 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2023)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 0.056 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0261 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.1919 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0274 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is life expectancy at birth oecd in United States?
- Life expectancy at birth oecd in United States was 76.4 in 2021, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest life expectancy at birth oecd recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 78.9 in 2014.
- What is the lowest life expectancy at birth oecd recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 69.7 in 1960.
- How does United States rank for life expectancy at birth oecd?
- United States ranks 34th out of 49 countries with data for 2021.
- Is life expectancy at birth oecd rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Life expectancy at birth oecd. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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