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QuickStats: Average Life Expectancy at Birth, by Race and Sex --- United States, 2000, 2006, and 2007*

The figure shows the average life expectancy at birth, by race and sex in the United States in 2000, 2006, and 2007. In 2007, the average life expectancy at birth for persons born in the United States was 77.9 years, an increase
of 1.1 years from 2000 and an increase of 0.2 years from 2006. For black males and females, life expectancy increased by approximately 2 years from 2000 to 2007 and 0.5 years from 2006 to 2007. For white males and females, increases in life expectancy were smaller. Although the gap in life expectancy between white and black populations is narrowing, life expectancy for white males in 2007 (75.8 years) was 5.6 years greater than for black males (70.2) and 3.7 years greater for white females (80.7) than black females (77.0).

* Data for 2007 are preliminary.

In 2007, the average life expectancy at birth for persons born in the United States was 77.9 years, an increase of 1.1 years from 2000 and an increase of 0.2 years from 2006. For black males and females, life expectancy increased by approximately 2 years from 2000 to 2007 and 0.5 years from 2006 to 2007. For white males and females, increases in life expectancy were smaller. Although the gap in life expectancy between white and black populations is narrowing, life expectancy for white males in 2007 (75.8 years) was 5.6 years greater than for black males (70.2) and 3.7 years greater for white females (80.7) than black females (77.0).

SOURCE: Xu JQ, Kochanek KD, Tejada-Vera B. Deaths: preliminary data for 2007. Natl Vital Stat Rep 2009;58(1). Hyattsville, MD: US Department of Health and Human Services, CDC; 2009. Available at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr58/nvsr58_01.pdf.

Alternative Text: The figure above shows the average life expectancy at birth, by race and sex in the United States in 2000, 2006, and 2007. In 2007, the average life expectancy at birth for persons born in the United States was 77.9 years, an increase of 1.1 years from 2000 and an increase of 0.2 years from 2006. For black males and females, life expectancy increased by approximately 2 years from 2000 to 2007 and 0.5 years from 2006 to 2007. For white males and females, increases in life expectancy were smaller. Although the gap in life expectancy between white and black populations is narrowing, life expectancy for white males in 2007 (75.8 years) was 5.6 years greater than for black males (70.2) and 3.7 years greater for white females (80.7) than black females (77.0).

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Date last reviewed: 10/29/2009