US life expectancy hits record high in 2024, CDC says
- - US life expectancy hits record high in 2024, CDC says
ReutersJanuary 29, 2026 at 11:27 PM
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An elderly person sits on their walker awaiting public transit in San Diego, California, U.S., March 26, 2025. REUTERS/Mike Blake
Jan 29 (Reuters) - 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.
According to a report from the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics, life expectancy at birth in the U.S. 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% of all deaths in the United States.
(Reporting by Christy Santhosh in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh Kuber)
Source: “AOL Breaking”
