US life expectancy hits record high in 2024, CDC says
An elderly person sits on their walker awaiting public transit in San Diego, California, on Mar 26, 2025. (Photo: REUTERS/Mike Blake)
Life expectancy for an American stood at 79 years on average in 2024 surpassing the previous record-high set in 2014, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Thursday (Jan 29).
According to a report from the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics, life expectancy at birth in the US climbed 0.6 years from 2023, while infant mortality rate did not change significantly.
Life expectancy in the country has generally been on the rise with the COVID-19 pandemic leading to the biggest drop in decades with expectancy shrinking to 76.1 years by 2021.
In 2024, nine of the top ten leading causes of death were unchanged from 2023. Suicide entered the list at the 10th place, dispatching COVID-19, which held the spot in 2023, to the 15th position, according to the report.
The top leading cause of death in 2024 was heart disease, followed by cancer and unintentional injuries. The 10 leading causes accounted for more than 70 per cent of all deaths in the United States.
