Life expectancy — Life expectancy difference in New Zealand

New Zealand: Life expectancy — Life expectancy difference was 3.3 Years in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
3.3 Years
Change on year
down 2.9%
World rank
37th
of 41 countries
All-time high
6.5 Years
in 1976
All-time low
3.3 Years
in 2024
Years of data
64
1961–2024

Life expectancy — Life expectancy difference in New Zealand, 1961–2024

0246196119922024

Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Years.

Analysis

In 2024, life expectancy — life expectancy difference in New Zealand stood at 3.3 Years. That is the lowest value across all 64 years on record.

That represents a change of down 2.9% on the previous year and down 8.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, life expectancy — life expectancy difference in New Zealand peaked at 6.5 Years in 1976 and was at its lowest, 3.3 Years, in 2024.

New Zealand ranks 37th of 41 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 64 years of available data.

Life expectancy — Life expectancy difference in New Zealand, year by year

Annual values for Life expectancy — Life expectancy difference (female-male) in New Zealand, 1961 to 2024.
Year Years Change
1961 5.4 Years
1962 5.5 Years +1.9%
1963 5.7 Years +3.6%
1964 5.8 Years +1.8%
1965 6 Years +3.4%
1966 6.1 Years +1.7%
1967 6.1 Years +0.0%
1968 6.1 Years +0.0%
1969 6.1 Years +0.0%
1970 6 Years -1.6%
1971 6.1 Years +1.7%
1972 6.2 Years +1.6%
1973 6.2 Years +0.0%
1974 6.3 Years +1.6%
1975 6.4 Years +1.6%
1976 6.5 Years +1.6%
1977 6.3 Years -3.1%
1978 6.2 Years -1.6%
1979 6.2 Years +0.0%
1980 6.1 Years -1.6%
1981 6 Years -1.6%
1982 6.1 Years +1.7%
1983 6 Years -1.6%
1984 6 Years +0.0%
1985 6 Years +0.0%
1986 6 Years +0.0%
1987 5.9 Years -1.7%
1988 6 Years +1.7%
1989 5.9 Years -1.7%
1990 5.9 Years +0.0%
1991 5.8 Years -1.7%
1992 5.7 Years -1.7%
1993 5.6 Years -1.8%
1994 5.5 Years -1.8%
1995 5.4 Years -1.8%
1996 5.3 Years -1.9%
1997 5.2 Years -1.9%
1998 5 Years -3.8%
1999 4.9 Years -2.0%
2000 4.9 Years +0.0%
2001 4.8 Years -2.0%
2002 4.6 Years -4.2%
2003 4.5 Years -2.2%
2004 4.3 Years -4.4%
2005 4.2 Years -2.3%
2006 4.2 Years +0.0%
2007 4.1 Years -2.4%
2008 4.1 Years +0.0%
2009 3.9 Years -4.9%
2010 3.8 Years -2.6%
2011 3.8 Years +0.0%
2012 3.7 Years -2.6%
2013 3.7 Years +0.0%
2014 3.6 Years -2.7%
2015 3.6 Years +0.0%
2016 3.6 Years +0.0%
2017 3.5 Years -2.8%
2018 3.5 Years +0.0%
2019 3.5 Years +0.0%
2020 3.5 Years +0.0%
2021 3.4 Years -2.9%
2022 3.4 Years +0.0%
2023 3.4 Years +0.0%
2024 3.3 Years -2.9%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s 5.87 Years 5.4 Years 6.1 Years 9
1970s 6.24 Years 6 Years 6.5 Years 10
1980s 6 Years 5.9 Years 6.1 Years 10
1990s 5.43 Years 4.9 Years 5.9 Years 10
2000s 4.36 Years 3.9 Years 4.9 Years 10
2010s 3.63 Years 3.5 Years 3.8 Years 10
2020s 3.4 Years 3.3 Years 3.5 Years 5

Countries ranked near New Zealand

  1. 34 Denmark 3.7 Years compare
  2. 35 Switzerland 3.5 Years compare
  3. 36 Iceland 3.4 Years compare
  4. 37 Ireland 3.3 Years compare
  5. 39 Norway 3.2 Years compare
  6. 40 India 3.1 Years compare

See the full ranking of 51 places →

More health data for New Zealand

All data for New Zealand →

Frequently asked questions

What is life expectancy — life expectancy difference in New Zealand?
Life expectancy — life expectancy difference in New Zealand was 3.3 Years in 2024, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
What is the highest life expectancy — life expectancy difference recorded in New Zealand?
The highest recorded value was 6.5 Years in 1976.
What is the lowest life expectancy — life expectancy difference recorded in New Zealand?
The lowest recorded value was 3.3 Years in 2024.
How does New Zealand rank for life expectancy — life expectancy difference?
New Zealand ranks 37th out of 41 countries with data for 2024.
Is life expectancy — life expectancy difference rising or falling in New Zealand?
Over the last ten years it is down 8.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this New Zealand data come from?
The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Life expectancy — Life expectancy difference (female-male). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Life expectancy — Life expectancy difference in New Zealand. Statizoid, drawing on Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Retrieved 03 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/life-expectancy-life-expectancy-difference-female-male/new-zealand/

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About this data

Indicator
Life expectancy — Life expectancy difference (female-male)
Unit
Years
Source
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Licence
OECD Terms and Conditions (attribution required)
Coverage
51 places, 3,074 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed

This dataset presents data on life expectancy at birth, and at ages 40, 60, 65 and 80 years old. Please refer to the Sources and Methods for detailed country-specific information.