The latest official values
The National Center for Health Statistics’ complete United States life tables for 2024 were published on August 25, 2026. Using final National Vital Statistics System mortality data, the accompanying CDC report places period life expectancy at birth at 79.0 years for the total U.S. population—up 0.6 year from 78.4 in 2023.
At age 65, the corresponding estimate is 19.7 additional years, up 0.2 year from 2023. That is remaining life expectancy conditional on already reaching 65; it should not be added to the at-birth value.
| Starting age | Year | Both sexes | Female | Male |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| At birth | 2023 | 78.4 | 81.1 | 75.8 |
| At birth | 2024 | 79.0 | 81.4 | 76.5 |
| At age 65 | 2023 | 19.5 | 20.7 | 18.2 |
| At age 65 | 2024 | 19.7 | 20.8 | 18.4 |
Source: CDC/NCHS final 2023 and 2024 mortality data. “At age 65” means additional expected years for someone who has reached 65.
What a period estimate means
A period life table applies one year’s age-specific mortality rates across a hypothetical lifetime. The 79.0-year figure therefore summarizes the 2024 mortality schedule; it does not assume that an actual person born in 2024 will encounter those exact rates at every future age.
79.0 is a population snapshot. It is neither a death age for a 2024 baby nor the average age of people who died during 2024.
The age-65 value answers a different conditional question. People who reach 65 have already survived the mortality risks before that age, so their expected remaining years must be calculated from age 65 onward. The distinction is explained in more detail in life expectancy at a later age versus at birth.
What changed from 2023
The total at-birth estimate rose by 0.6 year. The female estimate rose by 0.3 year to 81.4, while the male estimate rose by 0.7 year to 76.5. The female–male difference narrowed from 5.3 years in 2023 to 4.9 years in 2024.
Those comparisons are useful descriptions of the final annual tables. They do not show that every group experienced the same change, and the aggregate values should not be used to infer the effect of a personal choice or intervention.
Why this does not replace the Life Days Left input
Life Days Left compares birth years with the SSA 2026 Intermediate cohort series. That series follows each birth cohort through changing observed, estimated, and projected mortality conditions. The CDC 2024 value is a period measure built from one year’s mortality rates.
Replacing a cohort adjustment with 79.0 would answer a different question and silently change the model. This article is therefore a current national benchmark and source note, not a model update. Read cohort versus period life expectancy for the full distinction, or inspect the exact active formula on the methodology page.
How to use the number responsibly
Use the 2024 table when the question is about mortality conditions in the United States during 2024 or when comparing consistent annual period estimates. Use a cohort table when the question follows a birth year across changing calendar conditions. For either measure, keep the population, starting age, sex categories, source year, and projection status attached to the number.
For today’s Life Days Left outputs, use the dated data table. Its model version and source links make clear that the displayed timeline is an illustrative population calculation rather than an individual prognosis.