In 2023, a woman in the United States aged 65 years could expect to live another **** years on average. This number decreased in the years 2020 and 2021, after reaching a high of **** years in 2019. Nevertheless, the life expectancy of a woman aged 65 years in the United States is still higher than that of a man of that age. In 2023, a man aged 65 years could be expected to live another 18.2 years on average.
Why has the life expectancy in the U.S. declined?
Overall, life expectancy in the United States has declined in recent years. In 2019, the life expectancy for U.S. women was **** years, but by 2023 it had decreased to **** years. Likewise, the life expectancy for men decreased from **** years to **** years in the same period. The biggest contributors to this decline in life expectancy are the COVID-19 pandemic and the opioid epidemic. Although deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic have decreased significantly since 2022, deaths from opioid overdose continue to increase, reaching all-time highs in 2022.Â
The leading causes of death among U.S. women
The leading causes of death among women in the United States in 2022 were heart disease, cancer, stroke, and COVID-19. That year, heart disease and cancer accounted for a combined **** percent of all deaths among women, while around *** percent of deaths were due to COVID-19. The overall leading causes of death in the United States generally reflect the leading causes among women, with some slight variations. For example, Alzheimer’s disease is the leading cause of death among women but the ** leading cause of death overall in the United States.
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OECD. (August 18, 2025). Life expectancy for women at the age of 65 years in the U.S. from 1960 to 2023 [Graph]. In ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. Retrieved August 04, 2026, from /statistics/266656/us-female-life-expectancy-at-the-age-of-65-years-since-1960/
OECD. "Life expectancy for women at the age of 65 years in the U.S. from 1960 to 2023." Chart. August 18, 2025. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. Accessed August 04, 2026. /statistics/266656/us-female-life-expectancy-at-the-age-of-65-years-since-1960/
OECD. (2025). Life expectancy for women at the age of 65 years in the U.S. from 1960 to 2023. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Inc.. Accessed: August 04, 2026. /statistics/266656/us-female-life-expectancy-at-the-age-of-65-years-since-1960/
OECD. "Life Expectancy for Women at The Age of 65 Years in The U.S. from 1960 to 2023." ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ, ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Inc., 18 Aug 2025, /statistics/266656/us-female-life-expectancy-at-the-age-of-65-years-since-1960/
OECD, Life expectancy for women at the age of 65 years in the U.S. from 1960 to 2023 ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ, /statistics/266656/us-female-life-expectancy-at-the-age-of-65-years-since-1960/ (last visited August 04, 2026)
Life expectancy for women at the age of 65 years in the U.S. from 1960 to 2023 [Graph], OECD, August 18, 2025. [Online]. Available: /statistics/266656/us-female-life-expectancy-at-the-age-of-65-years-since-1960/
