If you are a U.S. resident, your life expectancy depends at least in part on where you live. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2019, the mortality rate in the United States had risen to about 79 years, but has since dropped to 76 years.
Harvard Medical School says there are many reasons why life expectancy in the United States is on a downward trend. These include accidental injuries, drug overdoses, and COVID. In addition, there are other factors to consider, including smoking,** and suicide. Obesity is also one of the causes of high mortality in the United States, with 70% of Americans overweight and 36% suffering from obesity.
Looking at the data, these states are the ones most likely to die early, both by these and other factors.
10.South Carolina.
According to American Facts, life expectancy in South Carolina is 748 years old, more than two years below the U.S. average. In 2021, the state's age-adjusted mortality rate was 29% higher than before the pandemic in 2019. In addition, the state's infant mortality rate has risen by nearly 40% since 2017. Causes of death in babies in South Carolina include birth defects, sudden infant death syndrome, or accidental death such as strangulation or asphyxiation.
The University of South Carolina reports that cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the state. There are many reasons why so many South Carolina residents suffer from heart disease. First, many people living in the state lead a sedentary lifestyle, and more than half of them do not engage in minimal physical activity. In addition, more than 70 percent of South Carolina residents are overweight or obese, and more than one-third have high blood pressure, which triples their likelihood of dying from heart disease.
9.New Mexico.
According to one report, New Mexico's mortality rate before age 75 is 11,896 per 100,000 people. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, the life expectancy of New Mexico residents is 745 years old; According to New Mexico's Health Indicators data and statistics, men in New Mexico are expected to live to 71Around 8 years old. A 2023 report by Wallethub states that drug use is one of the biggest problems facing New Mexico. In fact, the state ranks worst in the United States for drug use.
A 2023 report by the New Mexico State Assembly noted that alcohol consumption was the state's biggest substance abuse problem and noted that in 2021, six people died from alcohol every day. Despite these numbers, the legislature noted that the ongoing alcohol problem in New Mexico does not receive the same attention as other problems in the state, such as substance abuse. That said, drug use is also a serious problem in New Mexico, which claimed three lives a day in 2021.
8.Oklahoma.
The average life expectancy in Oklahoma is 741 year old. The Oklahoma Department of Health says some of that can be attributed to drug use. Between 2019 and 2022, drug-related deaths increased by 112%, mainly due to methamphetamine use. In 15 years, methamphetamine-related deaths have increased 19-fold, from 39 to more than 730 per year.
According to the Oklahoma Newspaper, gun violence is also a factor contributing to the state's high mortality rate. A study conducted by the newspaper showed that 70 or more people died from firearms in 10 out of a 15-month period. In June 2020 alone, 95 people died from firearms. Since 2010, more than 8,600 people have died from firearms in Oklahoma, making the state the 12th highest gun death rate in the United States, according to the report.
7.Arkansas.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates the life expectancy of Arkansas residents at 738 years old. According to the data, Hispanic and Latino Arkansas have the highest life expectancy, while black residents have the lowest life expectancy, with an average life expectancy of 72 years. Overall, women in Arkansas tend to live longer, with the average life expectancy for women in Arkansas being 79 years compared to 74 years for men.
One of the leading causes of death in Arkansas is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD. On average, Arkansas has a higher rate of COPD than the U.S. average, with nearly 60% of deaths per 100,000 residents each year. The state's annual cost of COPD is close to $300 million. In addition, suicide is a key factor in mortality in Arkansas. Arkansas has a higher suicide rate than the U.S. average, and most deaths are attributed to firearm suicides.
6.Tennessee.
The average life expectancy of Tennessees is estimated to be 73Around 8 years old, more than four years below the U.S. average. Women in Tennessee generally live longer than men, with an average life expectancy of 77 years compared to 70 for men7 years old. Overall, life expectancy in the state fell by about 1 between 2019 and 2020, in part due to the pandemic8 years old.
There are many problems in Tennessee that contribute to the low life expectancy in the state. The state's relatively low income and education levels, combined with high obesity rates and drug problems, lead to shorter life expectancy. In addition, tobacco use is a particular problem. The American Lung Association reports that Tennessee's efforts to reduce and prevent tobacco use are among the worst in the United States. In the association's 2019 annual State of Tobacco Control test, Tennessee received four failing scores and one "D" for statewide prevention of tobacco use, including e-cigarettes.
5.Kentucky.
Life expectancy in Kentucky has fallen by 3 percent in recent years4 years old, the largest drop in the state in 20 years. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that life expectancy in the state is 735 years old; This sharp decline can be blamed in part on the pandemic, but there are other issues affecting the life expectancy of Kentucky residents. These include violence, substance abuse, and health problems such as heart and liver disease.
The Kentucky Cabinet of Health and Family Services says one of Kentucky's biggest problems is tobacco use. They rank tobacco use as the number one health threat facing the state, accounting for 30 percent of cancer deaths and more than 80 percent of cancer deaths. The report notes that smoking rates among young people in Kentucky are well above the national average. CHFS estimates that at this rate, more than 87,000 Kentucky residents age 18 or younger could die prematurely from smoking.
4.Alabama.
With 11,342 deaths per 100,000 residents, the average life expectancy of an Alabama resident is about 732 years. Heart disease is the leading cause in Alabama, with nearly 250 deaths per 100,000 residents. These numbers make Alabama's heart disease mortality rate more than 40 percent higher than the U.S. average.
Nearly 1 in 4 children in Alabama live in poverty, and 1 in 5 children do not have access to proper nutrition or even adequate food. In 2023, the University of Alabama in Huntsville revealed that environmental and social conditions in the state could affect the mortality rate. For example, as the university noted, 58 of Alabama's 67 counties are identified as "medically inadequate," poor and with low literacy rates, and overwhelmed by health issues such as cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
3.Louisiana.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists Prayut University as a life expectancy of 73The 1-year-old state, making it the state with the third shortest life expectancy in the United States. They also pointed to heart disease, cancer and COVID as the leading causes of death. Overall, Louisiana has the fifth-highest death rate from heart disease in the United States.
A 2022 report from the Louisiana Department of Health identified some of the problems Louisiana residents face when it comes to premature deaths. First, Louisiana has the third-highest rate in the nation, and the Diocese of Orleans (where the city of New Orleans is located) has the fifth-highest rate compared to all other counties in the United States, the report notes. In 2020 alone, the ** case cost the state more than $10 billion. In addition to ** and suicides, reports show that about 7,000 Louisiana residents die each year from fatal injuries, including poisoning, suffocation, and motor vehicle accidents.
2.West Virginia.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention puts the life expectancy of West Virginia residents at 72At 8 years old, it is one of the lowest groups in the United States. According to American Facts, West Virginia has a mortality rate of 1,299 per 100,000 residents1 person died. In addition, more than 6% of the state's residents do not have health insurance, which can lead to poor mortality rates in the state.
An article in the Denver Post says that people in West Virginia tend to die earlier than people in many other states for a number of reasons. Many of the problems affecting the United States seem to have occurred first in West Virginia. For example, obesity was a major problem in the state before it became a national problem. In addition, the death rate in the United States is now the same as West Virginia was a decade ago. Drugs are also a problem, with mortality rates as low as 62 years due to opioid abuse and overdose in some areas.
1.Mississippi.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Mississippi is one of the least suitable states to live in if you want to live to old age. The average life expectancy in the state is only a pitiful 719 years old. This number has dropped sharply compared to 2019, when life expectancy was 744 years old. COVID is undoubtedly a factor, as is most of the United States, but Mississippi has also been plagued by economic stability and problems with access to quality education and health care. Data collected by the USDA's Economic Research Service shows that the state is 192% of the population lives below the poverty line.
In February** a 2019 study showed that Mississippi ranked second in the U.S. for heart disease and cancer. In Mississippi, about 231 people per 100,000 people are likely to be affected by heart disease. More than 180 residents of the state die of cancer for every 100,000 people.