These metro areas have the highest life expectancy. How do they do it?

So, why did overall life expectancy at birth decline, and why are the rates so much lower in certain parts of the country than others? In addition to the 0.9-year drop in 2021, research from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) shows that nationally, American life expectancy went down by 1.8 years in 2020. The last time such an extreme two-year decline was recorded? 1921 to 1923.

Breaking down these statistics even further, women’s life expectancy from 2020 to 2021 fell from 79.9 to 79.1 years, while men’s dropped from 74.2 to 73.2 years. Racial disparities tell an even more dire story, as non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native individuals saw a 1.9-year drop in life expectancy to 65.2 years, while life expectancy for non-Hispanic Black people fell from 71.5 years in 2020 to 70.8 in 2021.

The overall cause of these dramatic declines, according to the CDC, is a large number of deaths due to the COVID-19 pandemic. An increase in accidental deaths, including drug overdoses, also contributed to the reduction in life expectancy.

The much lower average lifespan among many ethnic groups, as well as the lower life expectancy rates MoneyGeek found for metro areas in the southern United States, can partly be explained by social determinants of health. People born into poverty have fewer financial resources, are more likely to experience food insecurity and often lack access to decent health care.

Overall, the United States ranks well below other wealthy countries in terms of average life expectancy. This is due not only to America’s higher death rates from COVID-19 and lower vaccination rates but also to the lack of universal health care. The number of Americans without health insurance represents around 12% of the general population, and without health insurance, one trip to the hospital for an emergency could bankrupt you.