NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 244 ■ April 2016

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

National Center for Health Statistics

Life expectancy for non-Hispanic black males has been changed from 72.2 to 72.0 to correct a transcription error.

Changes in Life Expectancy by Race and Hispanic Origin in 

the United States, 2013–2014

Elizabeth Arias, Ph.D.

Key findings

Data from the National 

Vital Statistics System, 

Mortality

● Between 2013 and 2014, life

expectancy at birth for the total 

U.S. population (78.8 years), 

males (76.4), or females (81.2) 

did not change.

● Life expectancy at birth

increased by 0.2 years for nonHispanic black males and by 

0.1 years for Hispanic males. 

It remained unchanged for 

non-Hispanic white males.

● Life expectancy at birth

increased by 0.2 years for 

Hispanic females, remained 

unchanged for non-Hispanic 

black females, and declined 

by 0.1 years for non-Hispanic 

white females.

● Hispanic males experienced

the greatest increase in life 

expectancy at age 65 (0.3 

years), followed by Hispanic 

females (0.2), and all other 

groups experienced a 0.1 year 

increase in life expectancy at 

age 65.

This report presents changes in life expectancy by race, Hispanic origin, 

and sex in the United States between 2013 and 2014. Life expectancy was 

estimated using complete period life tables that are based on death rates 

adjusted for race and Hispanic origin misclassification on death certificates 

(1). Life expectancy represents the average number of years that a hypothetical 

group of infants would live at each attained age if the group was subject, 

throughout its lifetime, to the age-specific death rates prevailing for the actual 

population in a given year (1).

Keywords: life expectancy • Hispanic origin • race • National Vital Statistics 

System, Mortality

How did life expectancy at birth by race and Hispanic origin 

change between 2013 and 2014? 

● Life expectancy at birth for the total U.S. population did not change from

78.8 years between 2013 and 2014 (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Life expectancy at birth, by race and Hispanic origin: United States, 2013 and 2014

NOTES: Life expectancies are based on death rates that have been adjusted for race and Hispanic origin misclassification on 

death certificates (reference 1 in report). Access data table for Figure 1 at: 

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db244_table.pdf#1. 

SOURCE: CDC/NCHS, National Vital Statistics System, Mortality.

 
NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 244 ■ April 2016

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● Life expectancy increased by 0.2 years for the Hispanic population (from 81.6 to 81.8 years) 

and by 0.1 years for the non-Hispanic black population (from 75.1 to 75.2).

● In contrast, life expectancy declined for the non-Hispanic white population by 0.1 years (from 

78.9 to 78.8).

How did life expectancy at birth by race and Hispanic origin change for the 

male population between 2013 and 2014?

● Between 2013 and 2014, life expectancy at birth remained unchanged at 76.4 years for males 

(Figure 2).

● Life expectancy increased by 0.2 years for non-Hispanic black males (from 71.8 to 72.0) and 

by 0.1 years for Hispanic males (from 79.1 to 79.2).

● Life expectancy remained unchanged for non-Hispanic white males (76.5). 

NOTES: Life expectancies are based on death rates that have been adjusted for race and Hispanic origin misclassification on death certificates (reference 1 in 

report). Access data table for Figure 2 at: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db244_table.pdf#2. 

SOURCE: CDC/NCHS, National Vital Statistics System, Mortality.

Figure 2. Life expectancy at birth, by race and Hispanic origin for the male population: United States, 2013 and 2014
NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 244 ■ April 2016

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How did life expectancy at birth by race and Hispanic origin change for the 

female population between 2013 and 2014? 

● Between 2013 and 2014, life expectancy at birth remained unchanged at 81.2 years for females

(Figure 3).

● Life expectancy increased by 0.2 years for Hispanic females (from 83.8 to 84.0).

● Life expectancy remained unchanged for non-Hispanic black females (78.1).

● Life expectancy declined by 0.1 years for non-Hispanic white females (from 81.2 to 81.1). 

NOTES: Life expectancies are based on death rates that have been adjusted for race and Hispanic origin misclassification on death certificates (reference 1 in 

report). Access data table for Figure 3 at: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db244_table.pdf#3. 

SOURCE: CDC/NCHS, National Vital Statistics System, Mortality.

Figure 3. Life expectancy at birth, by race and Hispanic origin for the female population: United States, 2013 and 2014

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
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How did life expectancy at age 65 by race, Hispanic origin, and sex change 

between 2013 and 2014?

● Between 2013 and 2014, life expectancy at age 65 increased by 0.1 years for males (from 17.9

to 18.0) but remained unchanged for females (20.5) (Figure 4).

● Hispanic males experienced the greatest increase in life expectancy at age 65 (from 19.3 to

19.6), followed by Hispanic females (from 22.0 to 22.2).

● All other groups experienced an increase of 0.1 years in life expectancy at age 65.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NOTES: Life expectancies are based on death rates that have been adjusted for race and Hispanic origin misclassification on death certificates (reference 1 in 

report). Access data table for Figure 4 at: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db244_table.pdf#4. 

SOURCE: CDC/NCHS, National Vital Statistics System, Mortality.

Figure 4. Life expectancy at age 65, by race, Hispanic origin, and sex: United States, 2013 and 2014

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 244 ■ April 2016
NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 244 ■ April 2016

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Summary

The trend in life expectancy at birth has been one of improvement since national estimates were 

first published with 1900 data (2). However, life expectancy remained constant for years 2012–

2014 and declined for non-Hispanic white females by 0.1 years between 2013 and 2014. Between 

2013 and 2014, non-Hispanic black males and Hispanic females experienced the greatest increase 

in life expectancy at birth (0.2 years), followed by Hispanic males (0.1 years). Life expectancy 

at birth remained unchanged for non-Hispanic white males (76.5 years) and non-Hispanic black 

females (78.1 years). Life expectancy at age 65 increased for both males and females of the three 

population groups.

Definition

Life expectancy: Represents the average number of years that a hypothetical group of infants 

would live at each attained age if the group was subject, throughout its lifetime, to the agespecific death rates prevailing for the actual population in a given year (1).

Data source and methods

All data are from the 2013 and 2014 mortality files from the National Vital Statistics System. The 

life table estimates were adjusted for race and Hispanic origin misclassification on U.S. death 

certificates. Life table methodology is explained in “United States Life Tables, 2011” (1).
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About the author

Elizabeth Arias is with CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics, Division of Vital Statistics.

References

1. Arias E. United States life tables, 2011. National vital statistics reports; vol 64 no 11.

Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2015. Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/

nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr64/nvsr64_11.pdf. 

2. Xu JQ, Murphy SL, Kochanek KD, Bastian BA. Deaths: Final data for 2013. National vital

statistics reports; vol 64 no 2. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2016. 

Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr64/nvsr64_02.pdf.

NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 244 ■ April 2016
NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 244 ■ April 2016

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NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 244 ■ April 2016

Suggested citation

Arias E. Changes in life expectancy by race 

and Hispanic origin in the United States, 

2013–2014. NCHS data brief, no 244. 

Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health 

Statistics. 2016.

Copyright information

All material appearing in this report is in 

the public domain and may be reproduced 

or copied without permission; citation as to 

source, however, is appreciated.

National Center for Health 

Statistics

Charles J. Rothwell, M.S., M.B.A., Director

Nathaniel Schenker, Ph.D., Deputy Director

Jennifer H. Madans, Ph.D., Associate 

Director for Science

Division of Vital Statistics

Delton Atkinson, M.P.H., M.P.H., P.M.P., 

Director

Hanyu Ni, Ph.D., M.P.H., Associate Director 

for Science

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