Study Finds Longevity Gains Across All U.S. States

Research challenges previous estimates of stark regional disparities in life expectancy improvements.

Apr. 11, 2026 at 1:32am

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A ghostly, translucent X-ray photograph of a human heart, glowing with an inner radiance against a dark background, conveying the fragility and resilience of the human body.An X-ray view of the human heart reveals the complex inner workings that sustain life, a metaphor for the new research shedding light on longevity trends across the United States.NYC Today

A new study co-authored by researchers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research suggests that longevity gains have occurred across all U.S. states and regions for people born between 1941 and 2000, in contrast to previous estimates that portrayed progress on extending longevity as sharply divergent across states and regions.

Why it matters

This research provides a more nuanced understanding of trends in U.S. life expectancy, which is crucial for informing policies and interventions aimed at improving public health outcomes. The findings challenge the narrative of widening regional disparities, highlighting the need to investigate the key drivers behind longevity gains, especially the substantial improvements seen in the South earlier in the 20th century.

The details

The study, published in the journal BMJ Open, used new data from the United States Mortality Database to analyze cohort life expectancy trends. The researchers found a two-phase pattern: rapid convergence in mid-century, when Southern states made up lost ground with much of the rest of the country, driven largely by gains in child survival; followed by a second phase in which that convergence largely stalled over the second half of the 20th century. The authors note that while states are not expected to experience equal gains in longevity, they found no evidence of the radical increase in disparities across states suggested by some earlier estimates.

  • The study analyzed longevity trends for people born between 1941 and 2000.

The players

Héctor Pifarré i Arolas

Co-author of the study and professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison's La Follette School of Public Affairs.

Jason Fletcher

Co-author of the study and professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison's La Follette School of Public Affairs.

José Andrade

Co-author of the study and researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research.

Theodore Holford

Lead author of a previous study that portrayed progress on extending longevity in the United States as sharply divergent across states and regions.

Yale School of Public Health

Institution where Theodore Holford is affiliated.

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What they’re saying

“Our forecasts point to universal gains in cohort life expectancy between 1941 and 2000 for all birth cohorts, sexes, and states.”

— Héctor Pifarré i Arolas, Co-author of the study

“Understanding that all states experienced gains—especially the substantial improvements in the South earlier in the century—helps shift the conversation toward what drove those successes and why progress has slowed since. That's where the real policy lessons are.”

— Jason Fletcher, Co-author of the study

What’s next

The authors hope this research will lead to increased understanding of the key drivers of longevity gains, as U.S. states have differed significantly in populations and policies over this period.

The takeaway

This study provides a more nuanced and optimistic picture of longevity trends in the United States, challenging the narrative of widening regional disparities. The findings underscore the need to investigate the factors behind the substantial improvements in life expectancy, especially in the South, in order to inform policies and interventions aimed at further enhancing public health outcomes across the country.