Life expectancy in the United States continued its downward trend in 2020 to just over 77 years of age.  This marks a 1.5 year decline from 2019 when US life expectancy stood at 78.8 years.  Deaths from COVID -19 accounted for the majority of the decline.  The decline would have been far worse had it not been for a reduction in deaths from cancer.

Declines in life expectancy among various groups showed disturbing inequities with people of Hispanic origin showing the greatest decline of three years.  For black people, life expectancy decreases from 74.7 years to 71.8.

The leading causes of death in 2020 were heart disease and cancer, followed by deaths resulting from COVID-19.

For more information visit https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/vsrr/vsrr015-508.pdf