In This US City, Life Expectancy Is Shockingly Low at 72 Years

When deciding where to live, people typically consider several factors ranging from cost of living, safety, climate, healthcare, education, taxes, employment opportunities, and more. One of the most significant considerations is quality of life. In 2023, almost half of all moves were determined mainly by health, wellness, or quality of life conditions.

In the United States, one of the largest countries in the world, with more than 19,500 incorporated towns and cities, there are plenty of places to choose from. But not all are created equal, and in some locations, the quality of life leads to a shockingly low life expectancy. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2022, the average life expectancy in the U.S. was 77.5 – males at 74.8 years and females at 8.2, leading many to wonder which cities have the highest and lowest life expectancy rates.

While many of the cities listed here are in metropolitan areas, that doesn't necessarily mean all metropolitan cities have low life expectancy rates.Many factors were considered when determining life expectancy including county health rankings for smoking, physical activity, and average sleep. Regardless of where you live, you can maintain a healthy lifestyle with daily movement, a healthy diet, and refraining from smoking, according to NIH News in Health.

To determine the U.S. cities where life expectancy is shockingly low, 24/7 Tempo reviewed 2023 county-level life expectancy at birth figures from the County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, a collaboration between the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute. We mapped each metro area to its corresponding county to obtain life expectancy estimates and included U.S. cities with life expectancy lower than 75 years. (For more health-related reading, check out a few warning signs that your health is bad.)

Here is a list of the U.S. cities where life expectancy is shockingly low.

• Life expectancy: 74.99 years
• Percentage of adults who smoke: 19.8% — 101. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with a sedentary lifestyle: 29.6% — 30. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with insufficient sleep: 35.0% — 158. out of 384 metro areas

• Life expectancy: 74.94 years
• Percentage of adults who smoke: 16.6% — 250. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with a sedentary lifestyle: 25.8% — 115. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with insufficient sleep: 34.6% — 186. out of 384 metro areas

• Life expectancy: 74.9 years
• Percentage of adults who smoke: 19.0% — 136. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with a sedentary lifestyle: 26.5% — 103. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with insufficient sleep: 35.0% — 161. out of 384 metro areas

• Life expectancy: 74.86 years
• Percentage of adults who smoke: 22.9% — 19. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with a sedentary lifestyle: 24.8% — 157. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with insufficient sleep: 36.3% — 94. out of 384 metro areas

• Life expectancy: 74.86 years
• Percentage of adults who smoke: 20.9% — 58. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with a sedentary lifestyle: 31.6% — 13. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with insufficient sleep: 39.9% — 18. out of 384 metro areas

• Life expectancy: 74.84 years
• Percentage of adults who smoke: 23.5% — 10. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with a sedentary lifestyle: 27.3% — 84. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with insufficient sleep: 38.0% — 48. out of 384 metro areas

• Life expectancy: 74.82 years
• Percentage of adults who smoke: 22.2% — 28. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with a sedentary lifestyle: 24.7% — 158. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with insufficient sleep: 40.1% — 15. out of 384 metro areas

• Life expectancy: 74.72 years
• Percentage of adults who smoke: 24.7% — 3. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with a sedentary lifestyle: 28.0% — 61. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with insufficient sleep: 41.8% — 3. out of 384 metro areas

• Life expectancy: 74.69 years
• Percentage of adults who smoke: 21.2% — 42. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with a sedentary lifestyle: 26.9% — 94. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with insufficient sleep: 38.5% — 32. out of 384 metro areas

• Life expectancy: 74.67 years
• Percentage of adults who smoke: 20.8% — 64. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with a sedentary lifestyle: 25.9% — 112. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with insufficient sleep: 34.7% — 177. out of 384 metro areas

• Life expectancy: 74.66 years
• Percentage of adults who smoke: 23.0% — 16. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with a sedentary lifestyle: 24.8% — 156. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with insufficient sleep: 35.0% — 151. out of 384 metro areas

• Life expectancy: 74.64 years
• Percentage of adults who smoke: 21.8% — 34. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with a sedentary lifestyle: 33.4% — 3. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with insufficient sleep: 34.8% — 171. out of 384 metro areas

• Life expectancy: 74.6 years
• Percentage of adults who smoke: 19.1% — 130. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with a sedentary lifestyle: 30.8% — 18. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with insufficient sleep: 39.6% — 21. out of 384 metro areas

• Life expectancy: 74.55 years
• Percentage of adults who smoke: 22.1% — 31. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with a sedentary lifestyle: 28.1% — 56. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with insufficient sleep: 35.1% — 148. out of 384 metro areas

• Life expectancy: 74.53 years
• Percentage of adults who smoke: 21.0% — 51. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with a sedentary lifestyle: 30.7% — 19. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with insufficient sleep: 40.6% — 10. out of 384 metro areas

• Life expectancy: 74.52 years
• Percentage of adults who smoke: 23.4% — 11. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with a sedentary lifestyle: 27.1% — 90. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with insufficient sleep: 38.0% — 46. out of 384 metro areas

• Life expectancy: 74.49 years
• Percentage of adults who smoke: 19.1% — 126. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with a sedentary lifestyle: 26.6% — 102. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with insufficient sleep: 36.0% — 104. out of 384 metro areas

• Life expectancy: 74.47 years
• Percentage of adults who smoke: 20.5% — 75. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with a sedentary lifestyle: 27.9% — 64. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with insufficient sleep: 40.6% — 11. out of 384 metro areas

• Life expectancy: 74.43 years
• Percentage of adults who smoke: 24.5% — 4. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with a sedentary lifestyle: 27.3% — 83. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with insufficient sleep: 35.0% — 160. out of 384 metro areas

• Life expectancy: 74.41 years
• Percentage of adults who smoke: 18.4% — 159. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with a sedentary lifestyle: 23.1% — 213. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with insufficient sleep: 35.4% — 126. out of 384 metro areas

• Life expectancy: 74.34 years
• Percentage of adults who smoke: 19.9% — 95. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with a sedentary lifestyle: 29.2% — 36. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with insufficient sleep: 41.2% — 4. out of 384 metro areas

• Life expectancy: 74.32 years
• Percentage of adults who smoke: 20.6% — 71. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with a sedentary lifestyle: 28.2% — 53. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with insufficient sleep: 33.5% — 235. out of 384 metro areas

• Life expectancy: 74.31 years
• Percentage of adults who smoke: 21.4% — 41. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with a sedentary lifestyle: 29.6% — 27. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with insufficient sleep: 38.2% — 42. out of 384 metro areas

• Life expectancy: 74.27 years
• Percentage of adults who smoke: 23.2% — 13. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with a sedentary lifestyle: 27.1% — 88. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with insufficient sleep: 35.4% — 129. out of 384 metro areas

• Life expectancy: 74.24 years
• Percentage of adults who smoke: 20.7% — 67. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with a sedentary lifestyle: 30.1% — 24. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with insufficient sleep: 35.7% — 114. out of 384 metro areas

• Life expectancy: 74.18 years
• Percentage of adults who smoke: 22.5% — 23. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with a sedentary lifestyle: 29.2% — 35. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with insufficient sleep: 35.6% — 117. out of 384 metro areas

• Life expectancy: 74.16 years
• Percentage of adults who smoke: 21.1% — 49. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with a sedentary lifestyle: 27.9% — 62. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with insufficient sleep: 38.3% — 41. out of 384 metro areas

• Life expectancy: 74.08 years
• Percentage of adults who smoke: 20.3% — 83. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with a sedentary lifestyle: 28.7% — 45. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with insufficient sleep: 39.3% — 23. out of 384 metro areas

• Life expectancy: 74.07 years
• Percentage of adults who smoke: 21.8% — 35. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with a sedentary lifestyle: 26.8% — 96. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with insufficient sleep: 35.2% — 139. out of 384 metro areas

• Life expectancy: 74.04 years
• Percentage of adults who smoke: 22.6% — 20. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with a sedentary lifestyle: 23.9% — 182. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with insufficient sleep: 36.3% — 92. out of 384 metro areas

• Life expectancy: 74.03 years
• Percentage of adults who smoke: 20.9% — 57. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with a sedentary lifestyle: 26.7% — 100. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with insufficient sleep: 35.8% — 108. out of 384 metro areas

• Life expectancy: 73.91 years
• Percentage of adults who smoke: 21.1% — 47. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with a sedentary lifestyle: 28.4% — 51. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with insufficient sleep: 38.4% — 36. out of 384 metro areas

• Life expectancy: 73.9 years
• Percentage of adults who smoke: 23.9% — 7. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with a sedentary lifestyle: 29.0% — 40. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with insufficient sleep: 40.6% — 9. out of 384 metro areas

• Life expectancy: 73.8 years
• Percentage of adults who smoke: 17.3% — 218. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with a sedentary lifestyle: 31.1% — 15. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with insufficient sleep: 36.3% — 91. out of 384 metro areas

• Life expectancy: 73.6 years
• Percentage of adults who smoke: 21.1% — 48. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with a sedentary lifestyle: 29.6% — 28. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with insufficient sleep: 40.7% — 7. out of 384 metro areas

• Life expectancy: 73.47 years
• Percentage of adults who smoke: 21.5% — 38. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with a sedentary lifestyle: 32.3% — 7. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with insufficient sleep: 37.6% — 57. out of 384 metro areas

• Life expectancy: 73.31 years
• Percentage of adults who smoke: 21.2% — 44. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with a sedentary lifestyle: 33.0% — 6. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with insufficient sleep: 38.5% — 34. out of 384 metro areas

• Life expectancy: 73.28 years
• Percentage of adults who smoke: 24.0% — 6. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with a sedentary lifestyle: 29.7% — 26. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with insufficient sleep: 39.4% — 22. out of 384 metro areas

• Life expectancy: 72.87 years
• Percentage of adults who smoke: 23.1% — 15. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with a sedentary lifestyle: 33.7% — 2. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with insufficient sleep: 39.9% — 19. out of 384 metro areas

• Life expectancy: 72.83 years
• Percentage of adults who smoke: 21.0% — 54. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with a sedentary lifestyle: 28.1% — 58. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with insufficient sleep: 38.1% — 44. out of 384 metro areas

• Life expectancy: 72.63 years
• Percentage of adults who smoke: 24.2% — 5. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with a sedentary lifestyle: 30.5% — 21. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with insufficient sleep: 40.2% — 14. out of 384 metro areas

• Life expectancy: 72.6 years
• Percentage of adults who smoke: 20.8% — 65. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with a sedentary lifestyle: 30.8% — 16. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with insufficient sleep: 38.4% — 37. out of 384 metro areas

• Life expectancy: 72.54 years
• Percentage of adults who smoke: 20.6% — 72. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with a sedentary lifestyle: 29.3% — 34. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with insufficient sleep: 39.8% — 20. out of 384 metro areas

• Life expectancy: 71.93 years
• Percentage of adults who smoke: 25.8% — 2. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with a sedentary lifestyle: 30.5% — 22. out of 384 metro areas
• Adults with insufficient sleep: 43.2% — 1. out of 384 metro areas