Life expectancy at birth in the United States has continued to rebound since the COVID-19 pandemic, as new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data indicates life expectancy in the U.S. in 2023 was near pre-pandemic levels.
The updated numbers show U.S. life expectancy at birth increased to 78.4 years as of 2023, which was up from 77.5 in 2022, 76.4 in 2021 and 77 in 2020. The average life expectancy in the U.S. before the pandemic was 78.8 years.
One major reason for the rebound in overall life expectancy was the decrease in COVID-19-related deaths in 2022 and 2023 compared to 2020 and 2021. There were also improvements in heart disease, unintentional injuries, cancer, and diabetes-related deaths.
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COVID-19 was among the top three leading causes of death in the U.S. in 2021. In 2023, it was No. 10.
In 2023, 3,090,964 resident deaths were registered in the United States, 188,893 fewer deaths than in 2022, the CDC said.
Both males and females gained nearly a year of life expectancy at birth in 2023. Life expectancy for females was 81.1 while it was 75.8 for males.
Life expectancy for those at age 65 also went up in 2023.
The CDC gave 65-year-olds a life expectancy of 19.5 years, which is up from 18.9 years in 2022. That means the average person who was age 65 in 2023 should expect to live until they’re 84.5 years old.
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