Historically, this was one of the “good news” items. It went up and up and up.

The results in the last 3 years have not been so positive.

Vital Statistics Rapid Release, Number 010 (February 2021) (cdc.gov)

Life expectancy has dropped by more than one year. The recent COVID effect is overshadowing the role of “deaths of despair”: opioids, alcoholism and suicide.

U.S. Life Expectancy Dropped In First Half Of 2020 : NPR

U.S. life expectancy plummets amid pandemic – POLITICO

The US life expectancy rate is much lower than countries at the same level of economic development. The US suffers from the negative impact of smoking, obesity, homicides, suicides, traffic fatalities, infant mortality and unequal health care access.

Why is life expectancy in the US lower than in other rich countries? – Our World in Data

How does U.S. life expectancy compare to other countries? – Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker

The difference in expected lifetimes by zip codes (income/wealth) has recently been highlighted, indicating a difference of as much as 30 years between the poorest and wealthiest locations.

ZIP Code Effect: Neighborhood Can Affect Life Expectancy by 30 Years – Blue Zones

Life expectancy in the United States, mapped by neighborhood — Quartz (qz.com)