Life expectancy in the US shows us how long people can expect to live, and state numbers show a big split.
Recent rankings put the lowest state around 70.9 years and the highest state around 79.9 years.
That is a 9 year gap between Americans living in the same country.
In the following sections, I will share more insights about the bottom 10 US states with the lowest life expectancy and explain why the gap between last place and first place is so wide.
What is the Average Life Expectancy in US?
The map shows life expectancy in the US for all 51 states on one scale.
On average, people in the US live about 78.4 years. The number comes from the latest national mortality report by the National Center for Health Statistics.
Here Are the States At the Bottom
| Rank (From Lowest) | State | Life expectancy |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mississippi | 70.9 |
| 2 | West Virginia | 71.0 |
| 3 | Alabama | 72.0 |
| 4 | Louisiana | 72.2 |
| 5 | Kentucky | 72.3 |
| 6 | Tennessee | 72.4 |
| 7 | Arkansas | 72.5 |
| 8 | Oklahoma | 72.7 |
| 9 | New Mexico | 73.0 |
| 10 | South Carolina | 73.5 |
1. Mississippi
Life expectancy in Mississippi is 70.9 years, the lowest in the state.
In August 2025, the Mississippi State Department of Health declared a public health emergency after reporting infant mortality at 9.7 deaths per 1,000 live births.
Time repeated the figure and reported a significant racial gap, with Black infant mortality near 15.2 per 1,000 and White infant mortality near 5.8 per 1,000.
Reports tied the surge to high preterm birth and many counties without nearby obstetric care.
A 2025 Public Health Report Card covered by Mississippi Today says preventable deaths tied to obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, smoking, and heart disease remain among the worst in the country.
The report also estimates more than 195,000 years of life lost before age 75 in 2024 from preventable causes.
2. West Virginia
Life expectancy in West Virginia is 71.0 years, the second lowest in the list.
Drug overdoses still weigh heavily on the number. West Virginia has led the country in overdose death rate for years, and that run of losses pulled life expectancy down through the last decade.
West Virginia Department of Human Services reported a 40% drop in overdose deaths during 2024, and a 2025 state briefing put the rolling 12-month total near 766, down from about 1,331 a year earlier.
Even after the drop, overdose deaths remain far above historical levels, so the long-term impact on average lifespan continues.
Chronic disease risk adds another layer. A 2025 American Diabetes Association brief places West Virginia among the highest states for obesity and diabetes, and West Virginia Public Broadcasting reporting in October 2025 ties those rates to poverty, food insecurity, and limited access to healthier food and daily activity.
High obesity and diabetes feed heart disease and kidney failure, which show up again and again in the state death totals.
Also, West Virginia has one of the most expensive health insurance coverages in the country.
3. Alabama
The average life expectancy in Alabama is 72.0 years.
Smoking is still the major factor that is lowering life expectancy.
The Alabama Department of Public Health tobacco burden update for 2025 puts adult cigarette smoking at 14.2%, and ties tobacco to a large share of preventable deaths in the state.
Obesity and diabetes sit in the same zone. A 2025 American Diabetes Association brief on Alabama reports one of the highest obesity levels in the country.
Overdose deaths add more pressure even after a recent dip. Alabama Reflector reported in January 2025 that overdose deaths fell about 18% in the latest provisional year.
Yet, the report also notes Alabama remains high for opioid dispensing, so drug harm continues to weigh on average lifespan.
4. Louisiana
The next state at the bottom is Louisiana, where the average person lives around 72.2 years.
Trust for America’s Health put adult obesity in Louisiana at 39.2% in its latest statewide obesity report.
The Commonwealth Fund also lists Louisiana with the highest maternal mortality rate in the country, about 41.9 deaths per 100,000 births.
Both point to the same problem: high chronic disease and dangerous pregnancy keep the life expectancy low.
5. Kentucky
In Kentucky, the average lifespan is 72.3 years.
The opioid era still casts a long shadow. The Kentucky Office of Drug Control Policy says overdose deaths fell 30.2% in 2024 to 1,410, marking a third straight yearly drop.
Even after that fall, Kentucky remains one of the higher overdose-mortality states in provisional tallies, so earlier damage keeps pulling the average down.
Chronic disease fills in the rest of the gap. A 2025 Kentucky Department for Public Health diabetes report puts adult diabetes at 13.7%.
6. Tennessee
Most people live around 72.4 years in this state.
Overdoses remain one of the biggest direct threats. Federal data puts the Tennessee overdose death rate at 52.3 per 100,000.
The Tennessee Municipal League said in a February 25, 2025, report that the overdose rate fell 6.6% from 2022 to 2023, yet remained far above the national level.
WBIR reported that overdose deaths dropped 34.1% in the rolling 12-month period ending February 2025, showing progress after years of heavy loss.
Rural care gaps keep pressure on the average. The Tennessee Academy of Family Physicians warned in a June 2025 resolution that rural hospital closures and thin primary care coverage are leaving many counties with delayed treatment for chronic illness and emergencies.
7. Arkansas
Arkansas comes in at 72.5 years on the life expectancy list.
Heart disease and cancer sit at the top when it comes to major death causes, with chronic lung disease and injuries also heavy in state health summaries.
Axios explains that adult obesity in Arkansas was at 38.9% in 2024. The rate has climbed from 37.4% in 2019.
Drug deaths add more weight even after a recent improvement. Latest reports say Arkansas overdose deaths fell 26% in 2024, dropping from 538 to 388.
8. Oklahoma
Oklahoma keeps showing up near the bottom of national life-expectancy rankings. The state average is 72.7 years.
The leading causes of death line up with that outcome. Heart disease and cancer remain at the top, while accidents and chronic lung disease follow close behind.
One trend is especially hard to ignore: suicide. Reporting from Oklahoma Voice notes a suicide rate more than 60 percent higher than the national level, placing Oklahoma in the top ten states for suicides.
9. New Mexico
New Mexico remains near the bottom of national life-expectancy rankings. The state comes in at 73.0 years on the bottom-10 list.
Causes of death show the pressure points. Heart disease and cancer still lead, yet injuries, overdoses, and alcohol-related deaths weigh more heavily in New Mexico than in many states.
The New Mexico health department ranks the state seventh nationwide for overdose death rate.
Also, the Associated Press reporting adds that fentanyl was involved in about 65 percent of overdose deaths that year, including even a county sheriff in northern New Mexico.
10. South Carolina
The average life expectancy in South Carolina is 73.5 years.
The leading causes of death follow a familiar pattern. Heart disease and cancer account for the largest totals, with accidents and chronic lung disease next, according to CDC data.
Recent health markers help explain why the average person stays depressed. The federal profile lists a drug overdose death rate of 41.3 per 100,000, high enough to sap survival among working-age adults.Â
Early-life outcomes add more weight: infant mortality stands at 6.96 per 1,000 live births, preterm birth at 11.61 percent, and low birthweight at 9.96 percent.Â
March of Dimes report shows the same weaknesses in preterm birth and infant health.
Frequently Asked Question
What Does Life Expectancy At Birth Actually Mean?
Life expectancy at birth is an average built from death rates at every age in a single year. It tells you how long a newborn would live on average if those same death rates stayed in place. Figure is a snapshot of current conditions, not a prediction for any one child.
How Many Of The Bottom 10 States Still Have Not Expanded Medicaid?
Four of the bottom-10 states have not expanded Medicaid under the ACA: Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, and South Carolina. The other 6 in the bottom group have expanded. Non-expansion does not explain every year lost, but it leaves more low-income adults uninsured, which links to later treatment and a higher number of preventable deaths.
Does Climate And Extreme Heat Play A Role In Life Expectancy?
Evidence keeps piling up, especially in the Southeast. A large study focused on the southeastern United States finds that prolonged exposure to extreme summer heat tracks with higher overall mortality, along with notable increases in deaths tied to heart disease and cancer.Â
How Much Longer Do Women Live Than Men?
Women live longer than men in every US state. In the public state-by-sex life expectancy tables, the national gap sits around 5 to 6 years, and several bottom-10 states show a wider gap closer to 6 to 8 years, because male deaths are higher in overdoses, injuries, suicide, and heart disease during working ages.
The Bottom Line
Life expectancy in the US still varies a lot by state, and the spread from the top to the bottom remains about 9 years.
The same set of states keeps landing at the low end because early deaths and chronic disease stay concentrated there.
Until those pressures ease, the map will keep showing a wide gap even as the national average inches up.
