New data show U.S. life expectancy rebounding after COVID-19, with Latino Americans continuing to outlive the national average
After years of pandemic-driven decline, life expectancy in the United States has climbed to a record high, underscoring a fragile but notable recovery in public health. According to federal data compiled through 2024 and reported in early 2026, Americans can now expect to live an average of 79 years, surpassing the pre-pandemic peak reached in 2014.
The rebound has been driven largely by sharp declines in COVID-19 mortality and drug overdose deaths, two forces that had pushed U.S. life expectancy down to 76.4 years in 2021, its lowest level in decades. By 2023, overall life expectancy had already recovered to 78.4 years, with women living longer than men—81.1 years versus 75.8 years, respectively—according to provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Within that national recovery, Latinos continue to stand out.
The Latino Life Expectancy Advantage
Data from the U.S. Office of Minority Health, drawing on 2023 mortality reports, show that Hispanics and Latinos in the U.S. have a life expectancy of approximately 81.3 years—about two years longer than the national average. Latina women reach 84.0 years, while Latino men average 78.5 years.
This enduring gap, often referred to by researchers as the “Latino Health Paradox,” has been widely documented in public health literature, including analyses published by ScienceDirect and the National Academies of Sciences. Latinos, despite facing lower insurance coverage rates, language barriers, and limited access to preventive care, consistently experience lower mortality from major causes of death, including heart disease and some cancers.
Public health scholars attribute the trend to a complex mix of factors: strong family networks, lower smoking rates, and protective cultural behaviors, particularly among first-generation immigrants.
Pandemic Setback, Uneven Recovery
That advantage, however, was severely tested during the pandemic. Latino communities experienced disproportionately high mortality in 2020 and 2021, driven by overrepresentation in frontline jobs, multigenerational housing, and delayed access to care. While national life expectancy has rebounded, research cited by ScienceDirect warns that recovery remains uneven, with some Latino subgroups and regions still lagging behind pre-pandemic levels.
The broader picture is cautiously optimistic—but incomplete. As the U.S. reaches a new longevity milestone, the data reveal both progress and persistent inequality, highlighting the importance of targeted public health strategies that recognize who is benefiting from the recovery—and who is still being left behind.
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