Chicago – July 02, 2026
The United States is on track to achieve another record in life expectancy after the nation’s death rate fell to its lowest level ever recorded in 2025, according to preliminary data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The age-adjusted death rate declined 4.6% to 689.2 deaths per 100,000 people, down from 722.1 in 2024, marking the lowest rate since federal records began. The decline was seen across nearly every age and demographic group.
Health experts attribute the improvement primarily to a continued drop in drug overdose deaths and the diminishing impact of COVID-19 on overall mortality. The gains build on 2024, when U.S. life expectancy reached a record 79.0 years, recovering from the sharp declines experienced during the pandemic.
Despite the encouraging trend, influenza and pneumonia returned to the nation’s top 10 leading causes of death for the first time since 2020. More than 56,000 people died from the illnesses in 2025, reflecting severe flu seasons and lower vaccination rates, according to public health experts.
The CDC noted that while mortality declined broadly, disparities remain. Black Americans continued to experience the highest death rates among racial and ethnic groups, and men continued to have higher death rates than women.
Although the United States has made significant progress in recovering from the pandemic’s impact on public health, life expectancy still trails that of many other high-income countries by several years, underscoring ongoing challenges in chronic disease, healthcare access, and health equity.
