NEW YORK (AP) – US life expectancy rose to 79 years in 2024 – the highest mark in American history. For decades, US life expectancy rose at least a little bit almost every year, thanks to medical advances and public health measures. In 2021, life expectancy fell to just under 76 1/2 years. Death rates declined across all racial and ethnic groups, and in both men and women. Death statistics for 2025 are not finalized, but preliminary data suggest that around 3.05 million deaths have been recorded.