You Are Not Expected to Live Past 72 If You Live in This US City

People often move to different regions or areas because they want to increase their quality of life. For those who live in the United States, there are more than 19,500 incorporated cities and towns to choose from. It is one of the largest nations in the world, comprised of 3,809,525 square miles of which 3,532,316 square miles is land (the remaining 277,209 square miles is water).

From the East Coast to the West Coast there is a span of nearly 2,800 miles and whether you opt for coastal living or an area in between, there are many different areas and regions throughout the country to choose from. But not all areas are created equal; Within those regions lie cities with varied life expectancy rates. (Not factored in are accidents like the aviation airshow tragedy that killed two people.)

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the average life expectancy in the U.S. as a whole was 76.4 in 2021. This was a drop for the second straight year for both males and females, leading many to wonder which cities have the highest and lowest life expectancy rates. While many of the cities listed here are located in metropolitan areas, that doesn't necessarily mean that all metropolitan cities have low life expectancy rates.

MoneyGeek reports that some of the healthiest cities with the longest life expectancy rates include the Bridgeport/Stamford/Norwalk area of Connecticut, closely followed by the Bay Area in California. Many factors were taken into consideration 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, per NIH News in Health.

To determine the U.S. cities with the poorest life expectancy, 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. To obtain metro area life expectancy estimates, we mapped each metro area to its corresponding county. We included US cities where the life expectancy was 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 US cities with the poorest life expectancy.

• 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