The National Center for Health Statistics published “United States Life Tables, 2024” on Aug. 25, 2026, the full official calculation behind the record life expectancy figure reported earlier this year. Life expectancy at birth reached 79.0 years in 2024, up 0.6 year from 78.4 in 2023 — the third straight annual increase following pandemic-era declines. But the detailed report goes well beyond that single headline number.
A 4.9-year gap between men and women
Women’s life expectancy reached 81.4 years in 2024, up 0.3 year from 81.1 in 2023. Men’s life expectancy reached 76.5 years, up a larger 0.7 year from 75.8 — narrowing the sex gap slightly, but it still stands at 4.9 years.
Wide gaps by race and Hispanic origin
By race and Hispanic origin, Asian Americans had the longest life expectancy at 85.8 years, followed by Hispanic Americans at 81.8, white Americans at 78.9, Black Americans at 74.8, and American Indian/Alaska Native Americans at 71.1 — though the AI/AN population posted the largest single-year gain of any group, up a full year from 2023.
| Group | Life expectancy at birth, 2024 |
|---|---|
| Asian, non-Hispanic | 85.8 years |
| Hispanic | 81.8 years |
| Women (all groups) | 81.4 years |
| White, non-Hispanic | 78.9 years |
| U.S. overall | 79.0 years |
| Men (all groups) | 76.5 years |
| Black, non-Hispanic | 74.8 years |
| American Indian/Alaska Native, non-Hispanic | 71.1 years |
How many Americans actually reach 65 and 85
The life tables also report survival probabilities, not just averages: 84.1% of Americans born in 2024 are expected to survive to age 65, and 43.8% to age 85. Put another way, roughly 1 in 6 people born today won’t reach a typical retirement age, and fewer than half will see 85 — figures that vary considerably by the same sex and race groups above, even though the national report doesn’t break survival probability out by group in the same table.
This detailed release builds on the record-high headline we covered in U.S. Life Expectancy Hits a Record High, and pairs with our look at how many of those extra years are spent in poor health — longevity and health span are related but different questions.
Why these tables matter beyond the headline
These survival tables are the actuarial backbone of how whole life and final expense premiums get calculated, and the wide gaps by sex and race are a reminder that a national “average” hides very different outcomes by group. Survival to 65 and beyond is common but far from universal, which is part of why permanent coverage secured earlier in life — while underwriting is easier and premiums are lower — can look very different in hindsight depending on which of these groups a policyholder falls into.
Whatever a household’s numbers look like, a locked-in final expense or whole life premium doesn’t change based on new data releases or a shifting national average. To see where you stand, our whole life and final expense pages, life insurance cost guide, and free calculator are good starting points.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is U.S. life expectancy as of the 2024 CDC life tables?
79.0 years at birth in 2024, up 0.6 year from 78.4 in 2023, according to the National Center for Health Statistics' United States Life Tables, 2024, published Aug. 25, 2026.
What percentage of Americans survive to age 65 and age 85?
Based on the 2024 life tables, 84.1% of Americans born in 2024 are expected to survive to age 65, and 43.8% are expected to survive to age 85.
Why do survival tables matter for whole life and final expense insurance?
These life tables are the actuarial backbone of how whole life and final expense premiums get calculated. The wide gaps by sex and race show that a national average hides very different outcomes by group, which is part of why permanent coverage secured earlier in life, while underwriting is easier, can look very different in hindsight depending on group.
Lock in a premium that doesn’t change with the averages
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