The average life expectancy for men in the United States is 76.5 years as of 2024, according to the CDC. Across developed nations, the average is slightly higher at 77.6 years. Both figures trail women’s life expectancy by about five to six years, a gap that has persisted for decades.
U.S. Male Life Expectancy in 2024
American men can expect to live to 76.5 years on average, up from 75.8 in 2023. That 0.7-year jump continues a sharp recovery from the pandemic years, when male life expectancy dropped to 74.8 in 2022. For men who reach age 65, the outlook adds roughly 18.4 more years, putting the expected age at death around 83 to 84 for that group.
Despite the rebound, U.S. men still haven’t fully recovered to pre-pandemic levels. Before 2020, male life expectancy had been hovering near 76 to 77 years, meaning the country is only now approaching that baseline again after several years of setbacks.
How the U.S. Compares Globally
Across the 38 OECD countries (mostly wealthy, industrialized nations), male life expectancy averaged 77.6 years in 2021. That puts the U.S. about a year below the developed-world average. Japan, South Korea, and Switzerland consistently rank at the top, where overall life expectancy exceeds 80 years for both sexes combined. In those countries, men routinely live into their low 80s.
The gap between the U.S. and top-performing countries reflects differences in healthcare access, diet, smoking rates, and rates of violent death. American men face higher rates of gun violence, drug overdose, and obesity-related disease than their counterparts in most other wealthy nations.
Why Men Live Shorter Lives Than Women
Women outlive men by about 5.5 years in developed countries. In the U.S., the gap is similar: women’s life expectancy sits around 81 compared to men’s 76.5. This difference comes from a mix of biology and behavior.
On the biological side, women carry two X chromosomes, which provides a backup copy of critical genes. Estrogen also appears to offer some cardiovascular protection during reproductive years. Men’s higher levels of testosterone are linked to greater risk-taking behavior and may contribute to higher rates of cardiovascular disease.
Behavioral factors widen the gap further. Men are more likely to smoke, drink heavily, and delay seeking medical care. They also die at higher rates from accidents and violence. These patterns are consistent across nearly every country studied, though the size of the gap varies by culture and income level.
Leading Causes of Death for Men
Heart disease is the single biggest killer of American men, responsible for about 20% of all male deaths. Cancer follows at 17.5%, with lung, colorectal, and prostate cancers being the most common types. Accidents (including drug overdoses and car crashes) account for 6.5% of male deaths, and stroke causes 4.7%.
Heart disease and cancer together account for nearly four in ten male deaths. Both are strongly influenced by lifestyle factors like diet, exercise, smoking, and alcohol use, which means a significant portion of early male mortality is at least partially preventable.
Income Changes the Picture Dramatically
Few factors predict a man’s lifespan as powerfully as income. A landmark study published in JAMA found that men in the top 1% of earners could expect to live to 87.3 years, while men in the bottom 1% had an expected age of death of just 72.7. That’s a gap of 14.6 years, nearly double the gender gap.
The reasons are layered. Higher income correlates with better access to healthcare, lower rates of smoking, healthier diets, safer neighborhoods, and less physically demanding work. But the relationship isn’t purely about money. The study also found that low-income men in certain cities with more educated populations and higher government spending lived significantly longer than low-income men elsewhere, suggesting that community-level factors matter too.
Lifestyle Habits That Add Years
A large cohort study quantified how individual lifestyle factors affect lifespan. Eating enough fruits and vegetables was associated with the largest single gain: 3.25 additional years compared to people with poor diets. Never smoking added 2.31 years, and getting regular physical activity added 1.85 years. Maintaining a healthy weight contributed a more modest 0.72 years on its own.
The real payoff comes from stacking these habits together. People who followed all five healthy behaviors (not smoking, staying active, eating well, maintaining a healthy weight, and moderate alcohol use) lived an average of 7.13 years longer than those who followed one or none. For a man starting at the U.S. average of 76.5 years, that’s the difference between dying in your mid-70s and reaching your mid-80s.
These numbers reinforce something important: while genetics and income set a baseline, daily choices still move the needle by years, not months. A man who doesn’t smoke, stays physically active, and eats a reasonable diet has already addressed several of the top causes of early death.