What is the United States’ life expectancy at birth?
In 2023, the United States’ life expectancy at birthwas 79.3 years.
You can see how this has changed over time in the chart, alongside neighboring countries.
This is a period measure of life expectancy, which tells us the average number of years a newborn would live if today’s death rates at each age remained constant throughout their life. This does not necessarily reflect the most common age of death in the country.
Period life expectancy is the number of years the average personborn in a certain year would live if they experienced the samechances of dying at each age as people did that year.Edit18312023190019500 years10 years20 years30 years40 years50 years60 years70 years80 years90 yearsCanadaUnited StatesMexicoHaiti
Data source: Riley (2005); Zijdeman et al. (2015); HMD (2025); UNWPP (2024) – Learn more about this dataOurWorldinData.org/life-expectancy | CC BY
Health
Cite this workReuse this workContents
Improving people’s health in the future starts with understanding people’s health today. What are people dying from? Are children surviving their first years? How does life expectancy compare with other countries? This page tracks key health metrics for the United States.
The data is updated regularly with the latest global and country estimates. Sometimes the latest data is two or three years behind the current year.
See all health data for the United States
Child health
What share of children die in the United States?
The latest data, referring to 2023, shows that 0.8%died before the age of 15 in the United States.
This is the youth mortality rate, which measures the share of newborns who die before reaching their 15th birthday.
This rate is shown for the United States in the chart below, alongside neighboring countries for comparison.
Estimated share of newborns who die before reachingthe age of 15.Edit19502023197019801990200020100%5%10%15%20%25%30%HaitiMexicoUnited StatesCanada
Data source: United Nations Inter-agency Group for ChildMortality Estimation (2025) – Learn more about this dataOurWorldinData.org/child-mortality | CC BY
What share of children under five die in the United States?
What about deaths among younger children?
One of the most-used indicators of child health is the child mortality rate, which measures the share of newborns who die before the age of five.
In the United States, 0.6% of children under the age of five died in 2023.
You can see how this rate has changed over time in the chart, compared to neighboring countries.
Data source: United Nations Inter-agency Group for ChildMortality Estimation (2025) – Learn more about this dataOurWorldinData.org/child-mortality | CC BY
Explore more data
Explore more data
How many children under five die each year in the United States?
What do these child mortality rates mean for the total number of children who die?
In the chart, you can see the number of children under five in the United States who die in a particular year. In 2023, it was 24,000 children.
Data source: United Nations Inter-agency Group for ChildMortality Estimation (2025) – Learn more about this data
OurWorldinData.org/child-mortality | CC BY
What do children die from in the United States?
To stop children from dying, we need to know what they are dying from. Understanding this allows governments and society to develop and focus on the largest causes of death. That can lead to a stronger focus on the interventions that would make the biggest difference.
In the treemap below, you can see estimates for the United States. The total size of the visualization represents the total number of under-fives that died. Each box inside is a cause of death, with its size proportional to the share of child deaths.
What did children under 5 in the United States die from in 2023?
The size of the entire visualization represents the total number of deaths in the United States in 2023: 24,200. Each rectangle within is proportional to the share of deaths due to a particular cause.
Birth disorders
Non-communicable diseases
Injuries
Infectious diseases25% died from preterm birthPer year: 6,150Per average day: 16.87.0%Neonatal asphyxia (suffocation) and trauma6.6% Heart abnormalities6.5% Other birth disorders3.0% Neonatal sepsis & other infections20%Other non-communicable diseasesCardiovascular diseases, digestive diseases,genetic blood disorders, and othersPer year: 4,730Per average day: 12.95.8% Sudden infant death syndrome5.8% Suffocation by objects3.0% Homicide2.3% Transport accidents2.8% Respiratory infections
Data source: IHME, Global Burden of Disease (2025)
What share of children in the United States are malnourished?
One of the largest drivers of poor health and mortality among children is malnutrition. It’s estimated to contribute to around half of child deaths worldwide. A malnourished child tends to be more vulnerable to infections and other illnesses. It also makes it harder for them to recover.
There are several measures of malnutrition among children.
Here, we look at stunting, which is when a child is deemed short for their age. It is often a sign of chronic malnutrition, and that their development has been hindered. Stunting is not just an issue during childhood: it affects both physical and cognitive development, and these impacts can persist into adulthood.
In the chart, you can see what share of children in the United States are stunted, alongside neighboring countries. In 2024, this share was 4.2%.
Malnutrition: Share of children who
are stunted
Share of children younger than five years old who are defined asstunted. Stunting is when a child is significantly shorter than theaverage for their age. It is a consequence of poor nutrition orrepeated infection.Edit200020242005201020150%5%10%15%20%25%30%HaitiMexicoDominicanRepublicUnited States
Data source: World Health Organization – Global HealthObservatory (2025) – Learn more about this dataCC BY
Related: FAQs on this data
Maternal health
What is the United States’ maternal mortality rate?
Maternal deaths are those that occur during a woman’s pregnancy, at childbirth, or in the following six weeks.
This is not only tragic for the woman herself, but for the children and family she leaves behind.
In the chart, you can see the United States’ maternal mortality rates over time, alongside neighboring countries for comparison. This is measured as the number of deaths per 100,000 live births.
In 2020, 21.1 women died per 100,000 live births.
Maternal mortality ratio, 1900 to 2020
Estimated number of women who die from maternal conditionsper 100,000 live births, based on data from death certificates,large-scale surveys, and statistical modeling.Edit1900202019401960198002004006008001,000Values from2003–2017 affectedby measurementchangeHaitiMexicoUnited StatesCanada
Data source: UN MMEIG (2023) and other sources – Learn more about this data
Note: Prior to 1985, only reported data are available, which are likely tounderestimate the true maternal mortality rate. From 1985, estimatesare shown, which aim to adjust for underreporting and misclassification.
How many mothers in the United States die during pregnancy or childbirth?
Rates tell us about risk, but the total number of deaths shows the scale of the problem. How many women in the United States die during pregnancy or childbirth?
In the chart, you can see the number of women in the United States who died during pregnancy or in childbirth each year. In 2023, this was 608 women.
Estimated annual number of women who die frommaternal conditions.Edit1985202319952005201502004006008001,0001,200Values from2003–2017 affectedby measurementchangeUnited States
Data source: World Health Organization – Global HealthObservatory (2025) – Learn more about this data
What share of births in the United States are attended by skilled workers?
Having skilled health staff available at childbirth can improve health outcomes for both the mother and baby, especially if complications arise.
In the chart, you see the share of births attended by skilled workers in the United States, alongside its neighbors. In 2020, this share was 99%.
Share of births attended by skilled
health staff
Skilled health staff refers to professionals trained to give thenecessary supervision, care, and advice to women duringpregnancy, labor, and the postpartum period; to conduct deliverieson their own; and to care for newborns.Edit1987202019952000200520100%20%40%60%80%100%United StatesCanadaMexicoHaiti
Data source: Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and UNICEF,via World Bank (2026) – Learn more about this data
Life expectancy
What is the United States’ life expectancy at birth?
In 2023, the United States’ life expectancy at birthwas 79.3 years.
You can see how this has changed over time in the chart, alongside neighboring countries.
This is a period measure of life expectancy, which tells us the average number of years a newborn would live if today’s death rates at each age remained constant throughout their life. This does not necessarily reflect the most common age of death in the country.
Period life expectancy is the number of years the average personborn in a certain year would live if they experienced the samechances of dying at each age as people did that year.Edit18312023190019500 years10 years20 years30 years40 years50 years60 years70 years80 years90 yearsCanadaUnited StatesMexicoHaiti
Data source: Riley (2005); Zijdeman et al. (2015); HMD (2025); UNWPP (2024) – Learn more about this data
OurWorldinData.org/life-expectancy | CC BY
What is the life expectancy of men and women in the United States?
In most countries, women live on average longer than men. But the size of this life expectancy gap varies.
In the chart, you can see life expectancy at birth for men and women in the United States.
In 2023, life expectancy was 81.8 years for women, and 76.9 years for men.
Life expectancy at birth, by sex, United
States, 1950 to 2023
The period life expectancy at birth, shown for women and men.Change19502023197019801990200020100 years10 years20 years30 years40 years50 years60 years70 years80 yearsWomenMen
Data source: UN, World PopulationProspects (2024) – Learn more about this data
OurWorldinData.org/life-expectancy | CC BY
What is the United States’ life expectancy at different ages?
Life expectancy at birth is often sensitive to death rates at younger ages. In particular, life expectancy is low when child mortality rates are high. These figures would tell you very little about how long a 40, 50, or 60-year-old could expect to live.
It’s therefore useful to look at life expectancy at different ages. This is shown in the chart for 10, 25, 45, 65, and 80-year-olds.
Life expectancy for people of different
ages, United States
Total period life expectancy for people who have reached a givenage.Change18802023192019401960198040 years50 years60 years70 years80 years90 years80 year old65 year old45 year old25 year old10 year oldat birth
Data source: Riley (2005); Zijdeman et al. (2015); HMD (2025); UNWPP (2024) – Learn more about this data
OurWorldinData.org/life-expectancy | CC BY
Causes of death
What do people in the United States die from?
Understanding what people die from allows countries to tailor resources, develop interventions, and allocate funding to areas where the most progress can be made.
In the treemap below, you can see estimates of what people in the United States died from in 2023.
The total size of the visualization represents the total number of deaths in that year. Each box inside is a cause of death, with its size proportional to the share of all deaths.
What did people in the United States die from in 2023?
The size of the entire visualization represents the total number of deaths in the United States in 2023: 3.09 million. Each rectangle within is proportional to the share of deaths due to a particular cause.
Non-communicable diseases
Injuries
Infectious diseases
Maternal, neonatal and nutritional diseases29% died from heart diseasesHeart attacks, strokes, and othercardiovascular diseasesPer year: 901,000Per average day: 2,47023% CancersPer year: 707,000Per average day: 1,9409.1% Neurological diseasesAlzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, andothers7.4% Other non-communicable diseases7.3% Diabetes and kidney diseases7.1% Chronic respiratory diseasesCOPD, Asthma, and others4.5% Digestive diseases3.8% Respiratory infections
Data source: IHME, Global Burden of Disease (2025)
How many people in the United States die from infectious diseases, non-communicable diseases, and injuries?
Causes of death can be categorized into broader categories: infectious diseases, non-communicable diseases, and injuries. This can give us some insight into a country’s health challenges and how they’re changing.
Infectious, maternal, and nutritional diseases, such as malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS, are more common in low- and middle-income countries. In richer countries, most people die from non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as cardiovascular disease or cancer.
In the chart, you can see the breakdown of deaths in the United States by these broad categories. In 2023, 172,000 died from communicable diseases, 2.70 million from NCDs, and 217,000 from injuries.
Causes of death, United States
The estimated annual number of deaths from each broad cause ofdeath: injuries (such as accidents, violence and suicides);communicable, maternal, neonatal and nutritional diseases; andnon-communicable diseases.Edit198020231990200020100500,0001 million1.5 million2 million2.5 million3 million3.5 millionInjuriesCommunicable,maternal,neonatal, andnutritionaldiseasesNon-communicablediseases (NCDs)
Data source: IHME, Global Burden ofDisease (2025) – Learn more about this data
OurWorldinData.org/causes-of-death | CC BY
How are death rates from infectious diseases in the United States changing?
Infectious diseases include a broad range of illnesses that can be spread through vectors, such as contaminated water or mosquitoes, or from person to person. This includes diseases such as malaria, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, pneumonia, influenza, and COVID-19.
In the chart, you can see how death rates from communicable diseases in the United States have changed over time. This is shown alongside neighboring countries for comparison.
Death rate from infectious diseases,
1980 to 2023
Estimated annual number of deaths from HIV/AIDS, diarrhea,malaria, respiratory infections, and all other infectious diseases per100,000 people.Edit198020231990200020100100200300400500600700800HaitiMexicoUnited StatesCanada
Data source: IHME, Global Burden ofDisease (2025) – Learn more about this data
OurWorldinData.org/burden-of-disease | CC BY
Are deaths from cardiovascular disease in the United States increasing or decreasing?
One of the leading causes of death in many countries is cardiovascular disease. These deaths are far more likely in older people, so as countries make progress on reducing deaths at younger ages, it’s likely to become a more dominant cause of death.
Is the United States making progress against cardiovascular disease?
There are several metrics we can use to understand mortality: the total number of deaths, the crude death rate (which simply divides the number of deaths by the country’s population), or the age-standardized death rate, which holds the age structure of the population constant, removing the effect of population aging from the trend.
In the chart below, you can see the change in these three metrics for the United States.
Change in three measures of
cardiovascular disease mortality,
United States
The change in the estimated number of deaths, crude death rate,and age-standardized death rate from cardiovascular diseases overtime.Change19802023199020002010-60%-50%-40%-30%-20%-10%+0%Number of deathsCrude death rateAge-standardizeddeath rate
Data source: IHME, Global Burden ofDisease (2025) – Learn more about this data
Are deaths from cancer in the United States increasing or decreasing?
Another leading cause of death in many countries is cancer.
Is the United States making progress on reducing cancer deaths?
Again, we can use the same indicators to understand mortality: the total number of deaths, the crude death rate (which simply divides the number of deaths by the country’s population), or the age-standardized death rate, which holds the age structure of the population constant, so it tells us about how rates are changing regardless of aging. This is important because the risk of most cancers also increases steeply with age.
In the chart below, you can see the change in these three metrics for the United States.
Change in three measures of cancer
mortality, United States
The change in the estimated number of deaths, crude death rate,and age-standardized death rate from all cancers over time.Change19802023199020002010-40%-20%+0%+20%+40%+60%Cancer deathsCrude cancerdeath rateAge-standardizedcancer death rate
Data source: IHME, Global Burden ofDisease (2025) – Learn more about this data
OurWorldinData.org/cancer | CC BY
Risk factors
What are the largest health risk factors in the United States?
Many environmental, societal, and lifestyle factors increase the risk of someone developing a disease or other health problem. These are called “risk factors” and include things such as smoking, air pollution, obesity, insufficient physical activity, and diet.
In the chart, you can see modeled estimates for how many people in the United States die prematurely as a result of various risk factors. Note that the same death can be attributed to multiple risk factors, so the death tolls from different risk factors cannot simply be added up (this is why their sum can be higher than the total number of deaths).
Each figure estimates how many deaths would have been averted if that risk factor had not existed.
Deaths by risk factor, United States,
2023
The estimated annual number of deaths attributed to each riskfactor. Estimates come with wide uncertainties, especially forcountries with poor vital registration.ChangeHigh blood pressure468,000High blood sugar349,000Obesity338,000Smoking333,000High cholesterol164,000Drug use136,000High alcohol use103,000Air pollution (outdoor & indoor)82,500Outdoor particulate matter pollution69,700Diet low in whole grains67,400Diet low in fruits63,800Diet low in vegetables55,200Diet high in sodium42,100Low bone mineral density34,600Secondhand smoke33,600Low physical activity31,600Child wasting18,800Diet low in nuts and seeds12,900Unsafe sex12,400Low birthweight8,070No access to handwashing facility465Unsafe sanitation460Indoor air pollution384Unsafe water source373Child stunting79.4
Data source: IHME, Global Burden of Disease (2025) – Learn more about this data
Note: Risk factors are not mutually exclusive. The sum of deathsattributed to each risk factor can exceed the total number of deaths.
OurWorldinData.org/causes-of-death | CC BY
What share of adults in the United States smoke?
In many countries, tobacco is one of the leading risk factors for premature death. It raises the riskof various illnesses, including lung cancer, stomach and bladder cancer, stroke, and others.
In the chart, you can see the share of adults in the United States who use tobacco. This is shown alongside the average globally and regionally.
In 2022, 24.3% of adults used tobacco.
Share of adults who smoke or use
tobacco, 2000 to 2022
Estimated percentage of people aged 15 years and older whocurrently use tobacco. This includes all forms of tobacco use, suchas smoking, chewing or snuffing, but excludes products that do notcontain tobacco, such as e-cigarettes.Edit200020222005201020150%5%10%15%20%25%30%35%United StatesHigh-incomecountriesWorldNorth America
Data source: World Health Organization – Global HealthObservatory (2024) – Learn more about this data
OurWorldinData.org/smoking | CC BY
What share of adults in the United States are overweight or obese?
Obesity is an important risk factor for health conditions and premature death. It can increase the risk of various cancers, cardiovascular disease, and other illnesses.
In the chart, you can see the share of adults in the United States who are overweight or obese. This is defined as having a body mass index (BMI) equal to or greater than 25. This is shown alongside the global and regional averages.
In 2022, 72% of adults were defined as overweight or obese.
Share of adults who are overweight or
obese
Overweight is defined here as a body mass index (BMI) above 25.BMI is a person’s weight in kilograms divided by the square of theirheight in meters.Edit1990202220002005201020150%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%United StatesAmericas(WHO)World
Data source: World Health Organization – Global HealthObservatory (2025) – Learn more about this data
Note: To allow for comparisons between countries and over time, thismetric is age-standardized.
OurWorldinData.org/obesity | CC BY
Related: What is obesity and how is it measured?
Explore more data
How much air pollution are people in the United States exposed to?
Air pollution is a key risk factor for premature death and illness in many countries. This can come from either indoor or outdoor exposure to air pollutants.
The health risks of outdoor air pollution depend on how much people are exposed to it.
In the chart, you can see the average level of exposure to small suspended particles in the United States, compared to the global and regional averages.
Exposure to particulate matter air
pollution, 2010 to 2019
Population-weighted average level of exposure to concentrationsof suspended particles measuring less than 2.5 microns in diameter(PM2.5). Exposure is measured in micrograms of PM2.5 per cubicmeter (µg/m³).Edit201020192012201420160 µg/m³5 µg/m³10 µg/m³15 µg/m³20 µg/m³25 µg/m³30 µg/m³35 µg/m³40 µg/m³WorldAmericas(WHO)United States
Data source: World Health Organization – Global HealthObservatory (2025) – Learn more about this data
Note: The WHO’s Air Quality Guidelines suggest annual average PM2.5exposure should be less than 5 µg/m³ in order to minimize the impacts ofPM2.5 on human health.
OurWorldinData.org/air-pollution | CC BY
Vaccinations
What share of children in the United States receive key vaccinations?
Many vaccinations are effective in protecting people against potentially fatal diseases. Most recommended vaccinations are administered during childhood, where they can give the most effective and prolonged protection. Childhood vaccinations are estimated to have saved the livesof around 150 million children globally over the last 50 years.
What share of children in the United States get vaccinated? The chart below shows the data across a range of important vaccines.
Share of children vaccinated, by
vaccine, United States
Share of one-year-olds who have been vaccinated against adisease or a pathogen.Change19802024200020100%20%40%60%80%100%Inactivated polio(IPV1)Diphtheria/tetanus/pertussis(DTP3)Hepatitis B(HepB3)Polio (Pol3)Measles, first dose(MCV1)H. influenzae typeb (Hib3)Rubella (RCV1)Pneumococcalconjugate (PCV3)Rotavirus (RotAC)
Data source: WHO & UNICEF (2025); UN, World PopulationProspects (2024) – Learn more about this data
Note: This includes diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus (3rd dose), measles(1st dose), hepatitis B (3rd dose), polio (3rd dose), Haemophilusinfluenzae b (3rd dose), rubella (1st dose), rotavirus (final dose),pneumococcal conjugate (3rd dose), and inactivated polio (first dose).
OurWorldinData.org/vaccination | CC BY
Mental health
Mental health is a crucial part of people’s overall health.
Mental health conditions are not uncommon. Hundreds of millions suffer from them yearly, and many more do over their lifetimes. It’s estimated that 1 in 3 women and 1 in 5 men will experience major depression in their lives. Other conditions, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, are less common but still have a large impact on people’s lives.
We think it’s important to present reliable data on the prevalence of mental health conditions, but unfortunately, good national estimates from across the world are not available.
This is a key data gap in our understanding of global health.
Healthcare spending
How much does the United States spend per person on healthcare?
A well-financed healthcare system is crucial for the good health of a population.
How much is spent per person on healthcare in the United States?
In 2023, annual spending was $13,473 per capita. This is shown relative to the global and regional average in the chart, for context.
This includes all sources of spending on health, including public and private funding, and people’s out-of-pocket spending.
Total health spending per person
The sum of public and private annual health expenditure perperson. This data is adjusted for differences in living costs betweencountries, but it is not adjusted for inflation.Edit2000202320102015$0$2,000$4,000$6,000$8,000$10,000$12,000$14,000United StatesNorth America(WB)High-incomecountriesWorld
Data source: Global Health Expenditure Database, WHO, viaWorld Bank (2026) – Learn more about this data
Note: This data is expressed in currentinternational-$.
How much does the United States spend on healthcare as a share of GDP?
In 2022, the United States’ healthcare spending was equivalent to 16% of its national gross domestic product (GDP).
This is shown relative to neighboring countries in the chart, for comparison.
