U.S. life expectancy rose to 79 years in 2024, CDC report says

Life expectancy in the U.S. rose to 79 years in 2024, its highest level on record, as the overall death rate fell nearly 4% and deaths from COVID-19 and several drug overdoses declined, the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics reported.

Life expectancy in the United States rose to 79 years in 2024, the highest level on record. The National Center for Health Statistics at the CDC reported the overall death rate fell nearly 4%, from 750.5 to 722.1 deaths per 100,000 people. Researchers said declines in deaths from COVID-19 and several types of drug overdoses contributed to the improvement. The report also noted that the 10 leading causes of death were largely unchanged, with suicide replacing COVID-19 at the tenth spot. Key findings: - Life expectancy at birth increased from 78.4 years in 2023 to 79.0 years in 2024. - The overall U.S. death rate fell nearly 4%, from 750.5 to 722.1 deaths per 100,000 people. - Deaths involving synthetic opioids other than methadone fell from 22.2 to 14.3 per 100,000, a decline of just over 35%. - Cocaine-related fatalities fell nearly 37%, and deaths involving psychostimulants like methamphetamine decreased about 19.8% to 8.5 per 100,000. - Heart disease remained the leading cause of death, followed by cancer and unintentional injuries, and the top 10 causes accounted for 70.9% of all deaths. Summary: The rise in life expectancy reflects recent declines in COVID-19 mortality and several categories of drug overdose deaths, marking a reversal from the pandemic-era drop. Undetermined at this time.