States with the shortest lifespans

Canva American life expectancy dropped in 2021 for the second year in a row–the most significant two-year decline since 1921-1923. The average life span across the entire population is 76.1 years–the lowest since 1996. Numerous factors can affect life expectancy, from genetics to air quality to economic opportunities. Stacker used data from the 2023 County Health Rankings to determine the 25 states where people have the shortest lifespans. The 2023 County Health Rankings values were calculated using mortality counts from the 2018-2020 National Center for Health Statistics. The U.S. Census 2021 American Community Survey and America’s Health Rankings Senior Report 2023 data were also used to provide demographics on the senior population of each state and the state’s rank on senior health care, respectively. Please note that in the data below, the demographics for Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders were left out due to being less than 0.5% of the senior population. Keep reading to see if your home state is one where people have the shortest average life expectancy. #25. Alaska Canva – Average life expectancy: 78.6 – Total seniors in the state: 98,410 (13.4% of state population) – Health care for seniors rank: #42 – Senior demographics: — Median age: 71.4 — Breakdown by sex: 50.5% male, 49.5% female — Breakdown by race: 73.3% White, 2.3% Black or African American, 3.0% Hispanic or Latino, 6.2% Asian, 10.7% Native American or Alaska Native #24. Texas Sean Pavone // Shutterstock – Average life expectancy: 78.4 – Total seniors in the state: 3,892,411 (13.2% of state population) – Health care for seniors rank: #30 – Senior demographics: — Median age: 72.7 — Breakdown by sex: 45.2% male, 54.8% female — Breakdown by race: 64.5% White, 9.4% Black or African American, 24.3% Hispanic or Latino, 4.3% Asian, 0.5% Native American or Alaska Native #23. Montana Mihai_Andritoiu // Shutterstock – Average life expectancy: 78.4 – Total seniors in the state: 217,298 (19.7% of state population) – Health care for seniors rank: #36 – Senior demographics: — Median age: 72.6 — Breakdown by sex: 48.4% male, 51.6% female — Breakdown by race: 91.7% White, 0.3% Black or African American, 1.7% Hispanic or Latino, 0.4% Asian, 2.6% Native American or Alaska Native #22. South Dakota JohnDSmith // Shutterstock – Average life expectancy: 78.2 – Total seniors in the state: 157,883 (17.6% of state population) – Health care for seniors rank: #39 – Senior demographics: — Median age: 72.8 — Breakdown by sex: 47.3% male, 52.7% female — Breakdown by race: 92.5% White, 0.3% Black or African American, 1.4% Hispanic or Latino, 0.9% Asian, 3.3% Native American or Alaska Native #21. Nevada randy andy // Shutterstock – Average life expectancy: 78.1 – Total seniors in the state: 519,568 (16.5% of state population) – Health care for seniors rank: #46 – Senior demographics: — Median age: 72.8 — Breakdown by sex: 47.4% male, 52.6% female — Breakdown by race: 69.0% White, 6.5% Black or African American, 12.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.9% Asian, 1.1% Native American or Alaska Native #20. Wyoming LBill45 // Shutterstock – Average life expectancy: 78.1 – Total seniors in the state: 103,822 (17.9% of state population) – Health care for seniors rank: #43 – Senior demographics: — Median age: 72.1 — Breakdown by sex: 48.7% male, 51.3% female — Breakdown by race: 91.4% White, 0.5% Black or African American, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 0.6% Asian, 0.7% Native American or Alaska Native #19. Pennsylvania ESB Professional // Shutterstock – Average life expectancy: 78.0 – Total seniors in the state: 2,464,903 (19.0% of state population) – Health care for seniors rank: #5 – Senior demographics: — Median age: 73.2 — Breakdown by sex: 44.7% male, 55.3% female — Breakdown by race: 87.0% White, 7.2% Black or African American, 2.7% Hispanic or Latino, 2.1% Asian, 0.1% Native American or Alaska Native #18. Delaware Real Window Creative // Shutterstock – Average life expectancy: 78.0 – Total seniors in the state: 201,551 (20.1% of state population) – Health care for seniors rank: #35 – Senior demographics: — Median age: 72.5 — Breakdown by sex: 45.1% male, 54.9% female — Breakdown by race: 77.8% White, 15.0% Black or African American, 2.9% Hispanic or Latino, 2.6% Asian, 0.3% Native American or Alaska Native #17. Kansas Jacob Boomsma // Shutterstock – Average life expectancy: 77.8 – Total seniors in the state: 489,676 (16.7% of state population) – Health care for seniors rank: #26 – Senior demographics: — Median age: 73.0 — Breakdown by sex: 45.3% male, 54.7% female — Breakdown by race: 88.8% White, 4.0% Black or African American, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 1.5% Asian, 0.4% Native American or Alaska Native #16. North Carolina Sharkshock // Shutterstock – Average life expectancy: 77.7 – Total seniors in the state: 1,796,369 (17.0% of state population) – Health care for seniors rank: #37 – Senior demographics: — Median age: 73.0 — Breakdown by sex: 44.2% male, 55.8% female — Breakdown by race: 76.4% White, 16.9% Black or African American, 2.6% Hispanic or Latino, 1.5% Asian, 0.8% Native American or Alaska Native #15. Michigan Sean Pavone // Shutterstock – Average life expectancy: 77.5 – Total seniors in the state: 1,823,284 (18.1% of state population) – Health care for seniors rank: #17 – Senior demographics: — Median age: 72.9 — Breakdown by sex: 45.4% male, 54.6% female — Breakdown by race: 83.9% White, 10.2% Black or African American, 2.0% Hispanic or Latino, 1.8% Asian, 0.3% Native American or Alaska Native #14. Georgia Canva – Average life expectancy: 77.3 – Total seniors in the state: 1,585,687 (14.7% of state population) – Health care for seniors rank: #47 – Senior demographics: — Median age: 72.7 — Breakdown by sex: 43.9% male, 56.1% female — Breakdown by race: 67.6% White, 24.1% Black or African American, 3.2% Hispanic or Latino, 3.2% Asian, 0.2% Native American or Alaska Native #13. New Mexico Sean Pavone // Shutterstock – Average life expectancy: 76.9 – Total seniors in the state: 391,797 (18.5% of state population) – Health care for seniors rank: #24 – Senior demographics: — Median age: 72.8 — Breakdown by sex: 46.2% male, 53.8% female — Breakdown by race: 62.5% White, 1.4% Black or African American, 33.5% Hispanic or Latino, 1.1% Asian, 5.5% Native American or Alaska Native #12. Missouri TommyBrison // Shutterstock – Average life expectancy: 76.6 – Total seniors in the state: 1,084,768 (17.6% of state population) – Health care for seniors rank: #7 – Senior demographics: — Median age: 73.1 — Breakdown by sex: 44.8% male, 55.2% female — Breakdown by race: 86.7% White, 7.7% Black or African American, 1.6% Hispanic or Latino, 1.2% Asian, 0.2% Native American or Alaska Native #11. Ohio Canva – Average life expectancy: 76.5 – Total seniors in the state: 2,102,569 (17.8% of state population) – Health care for seniors rank: #14 – Senior demographics: — Median age: 72.9 — Breakdown by sex: 44.8% male, 55.2% female — Breakdown by race: 86.5% White, 8.8% Black or African American, 1.6% Hispanic or Latino, 1.3% Asian, 0.1% Native American or Alaska Native #10. Indiana Sean Pavone // Shutterstock – Average life expectancy: 76.5 – Total seniors in the state: 1,115,579 (16.4% of state population) – Health care for seniors rank: #16 – Senior demographics: — Median age: 72.7 — Breakdown by sex: 44.7% male, 55.3% female — Breakdown by race: 88.6% White, 6.1% Black or African American, 2.5% Hispanic or Latino, 0.9% Asian, 0.1% Native American or Alaska Native #9. South Carolina f11photo // Shutterstock – Average life expectancy: 76.4 – Total seniors in the state: 967,223 (18.6% of state population) – Health care for seniors rank: #40 – Senior demographics: — Median age: 72.9 — Breakdown by sex: 44.9% male, 55.1% female — Breakdown by race: 75.4% White, 19.9% Black or African American, 1.8% Hispanic or Latino, 1.2% Asian, 0.2% Native American or Alaska Native #8. Oklahoma Sean Pavone // Shutterstock – Average life expectancy: 75.5 – Total seniors in the state: 645,174 (16.2% of state population) – Health care for seniors rank: #48 – Senior demographics: — Median age: 73.1 — Breakdown by sex: 45.1% male, 54.9% female — Breakdown by race: 81.1% White, 4.8% Black or African American, 3.3% Hispanic or Latino, 1.4% Asian, 4.7% Native American or Alaska Native #7. Arkansas Canva – Average life expectancy: 75.5 – Total seniors in the state: 525,153 (17.4% of state population) – Health care for seniors rank: #19 – Senior demographics: — Median age: 73.3 — Breakdown by sex: 44.8% male, 55.2% female — Breakdown by race: 83.2% White, 10.8% Black or African American, 1.6% Hispanic or Latino, 0.7% Asian, 0.4% Native American or Alaska Native #6. Tennessee Kevin Ruck // Shutterstock – Average life expectancy: 75.3 – Total seniors in the state: 1,187,354 (17.0% of state population) – Health care for seniors rank: #41 – Senior demographics: — Median age: 72.8 — Breakdown by sex: 44.8% male, 55.2% female — Breakdown by race: 83.8% White, 11.5% Black or African American, 1.5% Hispanic or Latino, 1.0% Asian, 0.2% Native American or Alaska Native #5. Louisiana Sean Pavone // Shutterstock – Average life expectancy: 75.2 – Total seniors in the state: 766,330 (16.6% of state population) – Health care for seniors rank: #50 – Senior demographics: — Median age: 72.7 — Breakdown by sex: 44.5% male, 55.5% female — Breakdown by race: 68.4% White, 24.9% Black or African American, 2.9% Hispanic or Latino, 1.3% Asian, 0.4% Native American or Alaska Native #4. Kentucky Rotorhead 30A Productions // Shutterstock – Average life expectancy: 75.1 – Total seniors in the state: 768,416 (17.0% of state population) – Health care for seniors rank: #49 – Senior demographics: — Median age: 72.8 — Breakdown by sex: 44.8% male, 55.2% female — Breakdown by race: 90.9% White, 5.4% Black or African American, 0.8% Hispanic or Latino, 0.6% Asian, 0.1% Native American or Alaska Native #3. Alabama Kevin Ruck // Shutterstock – Average life expectancy: 74.8 – Total seniors in the state: 885,809 (17.6% of state population) – Health care for seniors rank: #28 – Senior demographics: — Median age: 73.0 — Breakdown by sex: 43.9% male, 56.1% female — Breakdown by race: 75.7% White, 20.3% Black or African American, 1.1% Hispanic or Latino, 0.7% Asian, 0.4% Native American or Alaska Native #2. West Virginia Sean Pavone // Shutterstock – Average life expectancy: 74.3 – Total seniors in the state: 368,775 (20.7% of state population) – Health care for seniors rank: #44 – Senior demographics: — Median age: 72.9 — Breakdown by sex: 46.1% male, 53.9% female — Breakdown by race: 94.6% White, 2.3% Black or African American, 0.5% Hispanic or Latino, 0.6% Asian, 0.0% Native American or Alaska Native #1. Mississippi Canva – Average life expectancy: 73.9 – Total seniors in the state: 496,945 (16.8% of state population) – Health care for seniors rank: #45 – Senior demographics: — Median age: 72.8 — Breakdown by sex: 44.0% male, 56.0% female — Breakdown by race: 68.2% White, 27.7% Black or African American, 1.4% Hispanic or Latino, 0.7% Asian, 0.2% Native American or Alaska Native