States Where People Live the Longest

The average life expectancy in the United States is 78.8 years, with women generally having a longer life expectancy than men. Most gaps in life expectancy can be explained by the risk factors that people engage in. The disparity between men and women, for example, is because women tend to engage in less risky behavior than men, and suffer fewer vehicular accidents.

People living in the Southern United States are more likely to be smokers, which is a leading cause of death. A 2016 American Cancer Society study found that cigarettes contribute to one in four cancer deaths in the country. Most of the 10 states with the highest attributable cancer deaths were located in the South, which explains why many of the states with the lowest life expectancies can also be found across the region.