Female life expectancy increased slightly to 81.4 years, with male life expectancy increasing by nearly an entire year in 2024 to 76.5. The new life expectancy marked an all-time high for Americans, years after recording the largest decline in life expectancy since World War II due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Life expectancy historically grew each year and initially peaked in 2014 at 78.9 years. Expectancy generally plateaued until the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, when the life expectancy dropped to 77.3 years. Heart disease, cancer, and accidental injuries remained the top three leading causes of death in 2024, according to the report.