• 75.6 average life expectancy, in years, for a man in the United States
• 80.8 average life expectancy, in years, for a woman in the U.S. source

• » Not so bad, right? It doesn’t seem like it — until you start comparing us to other countries. Compared to an average of the countries with the 10 best life expectancies, American men live roughly 13 years less and women live 16 years less. Not only does living in the U.S. mean you may not live as long, but if you live in Appalachia, the deep South, or in northern Texas, you can expect a lower life expectancy than anywhere else in the country. People tend to live longest on the Pacific coast and the Northern Plains. What is ironic about all this is that the U.S. spends more money on health per person than any other country in the world — so what’s wrong?

Posted by Justin Jones • Permalink