Life Expectancy in West Virginia

74.4 years
Life Expectancy at Birth
2021 CDC
76.4 years
US Average
2021 CDC

Historical data

Coming soon

Long-run charts for this indicator are on the way.

Compared to the United States

IndicatorWest VirginiaUnited States
Life Expectancy (years)74.476.4

National ranking

West Virginia ranks #22 of 50 states by life expectancy.

#1New York80.5
#2Massachusetts79.6
#3New Jersey79.6
#4Utah79.6
#5Washington79.2
#6Minnesota79.1
#7New Hampshire79
#8California79
#9Colorado79
#10Rhode Island78.9
#11Oregon78.8
#12Wisconsin78.2
#13Maine78.2
#14North Dakota78
#15Montana77.9
#16Connecticut77.9
#17Hawaii77.9
#18Arkansas77.9
#19Mississippi77.9
#20Alabama77.9
#21South Carolina77.9
#22West Virginia77.9
#23Nebraska77.9
#24Maryland77.9
#25Iowa77.9
#26Idaho77.9
#27Kansas77.9
#28Virginia77.8
#29Illinois77.7
#30Florida77.5
#31Delaware77.4
#32Pennsylvania77
#33Nevada77
#34South Dakota77
#35Texas76.5
#36Michigan76.5
#37Arizona76.3
#38North Carolina76.1
#39Ohio75.9
#40New Mexico75.8
#41Georgia75.6
#42Missouri75.4
#43Oklahoma75.4
#44Indiana75.1
#45Kentucky74.6
#46Louisiana74
#47Tennessee73.8
#48Alaska44
#49Wyoming38
#50Vermont9

Overview

West Virginia has one of the lowest life expectancies in the country at roughly 74.4 years, about two years below the U.S. average, reflecting elevated rates of chronic disease and drug overdose mortality.

Did you know?

  • West Virginia has ranked at or near the bottom of U.S. states for life expectancy for over a decade.

Related data