Life expectancy — Life expectancy difference in United States

United States: Life expectancy — Life expectancy difference was 4.9 Years in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
4.9 Years
Change on year
down 7.5%
World rank
22nd
of 41 countries
All-time high
7.8 Years
in 1975
All-time low
4.8 Years
in 2010
Years of data
65
1960–2024

Life expectancy — Life expectancy difference in United States, 1960–2024

02468196019922024

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

Analysis

United States recorded 4.9 Years for life expectancy — life expectancy difference in 2024.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 7.5% on the previous year and up 2.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, life expectancy — life expectancy difference in United States peaked at 7.8 Years in 1975 and was at its lowest, 4.8 Years, in 2010.

That places United States 22nd out of 41 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 65 years of available data.

Life expectancy — Life expectancy difference in United States, year by year

Annual values for Life expectancy — Life expectancy difference (female-male) in United States, 1960 to 2024.
Year Years Change
1960 6.5 Years
1961 6.5 Years +0.0%
1962 6.6 Years +1.5%
1963 6.8 Years +3.0%
1964 6.9 Years +1.5%
1965 7 Years +1.4%
1966 7.1 Years +1.4%
1967 7.3 Years +2.8%
1968 7.5 Years +2.7%
1969 7.6 Years +1.3%
1970 7.6 Years +0.0%
1971 7.6 Years +0.0%
1972 7.7 Years +1.3%
1973 7.7 Years +0.0%
1974 7.7 Years +0.0%
1975 7.8 Years +1.3%
1976 7.7 Years -1.3%
1977 7.7 Years +0.0%
1978 7.7 Years +0.0%
1979 7.8 Years +1.3%
1980 7.4 Years -5.1%
1981 7.4 Years +0.0%
1982 7.3 Years -1.4%
1983 7.1 Years -2.7%
1984 7.1 Years +0.0%
1985 7.1 Years +0.0%
1986 7 Years -1.4%
1987 6.9 Years -1.4%
1988 6.9 Years +0.0%
1989 6.8 Years -1.4%
1990 7 Years +2.9%
1991 6.9 Years -1.4%
1992 6.8 Years -1.4%
1993 6.6 Years -2.9%
1994 6.6 Years +0.0%
1995 6.4 Years -3.0%
1996 6 Years -6.3%
1997 5.8 Years -3.3%
1998 5.7 Years -1.7%
1999 5.5 Years -3.5%
2000 5.2 Years -5.5%
2001 5.2 Years +0.0%
2002 5.2 Years +0.0%
2003 5.2 Years +0.0%
2004 5.1 Years -1.9%
2005 5.1 Years +0.0%
2006 5.1 Years +0.0%
2007 5.1 Years +0.0%
2008 5 Years -2.0%
2009 4.9 Years -2.0%
2010 4.8 Years -2.0%
2011 4.8 Years +0.0%
2012 4.8 Years +0.0%
2013 4.8 Years +0.0%
2014 4.8 Years +0.0%
2015 4.8 Years +0.0%
2016 4.9 Years +2.1%
2017 5 Years +2.0%
2018 5 Years +0.0%
2019 5.1 Years +2.0%
2020 5.7 Years +11.8%
2021 5.8 Years +1.8%
2022 5.4 Years -6.9%
2023 5.3 Years -1.9%
2024 4.9 Years -7.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s 6.98 Years 6.5 Years 7.6 Years 10
1970s 7.7 Years 7.6 Years 7.8 Years 10
1980s 7.1 Years 6.8 Years 7.4 Years 10
1990s 6.33 Years 5.5 Years 7 Years 10
2000s 5.11 Years 4.9 Years 5.2 Years 10
2010s 4.88 Years 4.8 Years 5.1 Years 10
2020s 5.42 Years 4.9 Years 5.8 Years 5

Countries ranked near United States

  1. 19 Costa Rica 5 Years compare
  2. 19 Greece 5 Years compare
  3. 19 Argentina 5 Years compare
  4. 23 Chile 4.8 Years compare
  5. 24 Germany 4.6 Years compare
  6. 25 Austria 4.5 Years compare
  7. 25 Luxembourg 4.5 Years compare

See the full ranking of 51 places →

More health data for United States

All data for United States →

Frequently asked questions

What is life expectancy — life expectancy difference in United States?
Life expectancy — life expectancy difference in United States was 4.9 Years in 2024, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
What is the highest life expectancy — life expectancy difference recorded in United States?
The highest recorded value was 7.8 Years in 1975.
What is the lowest life expectancy — life expectancy difference recorded in United States?
The lowest recorded value was 4.8 Years in 2010.
How does United States rank for life expectancy — life expectancy difference?
United States ranks 22nd out of 41 countries with data for 2024.
Is life expectancy — life expectancy difference rising or falling in United States?
Over the last ten years it is up 2.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this United States 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 United States. Statizoid, drawing on Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Retrieved 27 August 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/life-expectancy-life-expectancy-difference-female-male/united-states/

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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.