Why Is This Important?

Life expectancy is a summary mortality measure often used to describe the overall health status of a population. Life expectancy from birth is very sensitive to infant and child mortality. [[a href="indicator/complete/LifeExp65.html" Life expectancy from age 65]] is less sensitive to infant and child mortality than life expectancy from birth and is thought to better represent overall adult health status.

Definition

Average life span or number of years of life that could be expected if current death rates were to remain constant In NJSHAD, life expectancy is calculated using a method developed by CL Chiang. For more information on calculation of life expectancy in NJSHAD, please visit the [[a href="query/LifeExp.html" life expectancy documentation page]].

Data Sources

• Death Certificate Database, Office of Vital Statistics and Registry, New Jersey Department of Health
  (https://www.nj.gov/health/vital/)
• Population Estimates, State Data Center, New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development
  (https://www.nj.gov/labor/labormarketinformation/demographics/population-household-estimates/)

How the Measure is Calculated

How Are We Doing?

Life expectancy was slowly increasing among all racial and ethnic groups as well as among both males and females until 2015. Small declines in overall life expectancy were experienced the following three years before again increasing slightly in 2019. The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 caused average life expectancy (ALE) among all New Jersey residents to decline 2.8 years. The impact on ALE was not the same among different groups. Between 2019 and 2020, ALE declined by 7.4 years among Hispanics, 6.1 years among Asians, 4.6 years among Blacks, and 1.7 years among Whites. ALE among males declined 3.0 years while the decline among females was 2.5 years. ALE rose in 2021 and 2022 but has yet to reach pre-pandemic levels. As of 2022, the average life expectancy among New Jersey residents was 79.9 years. Life expectancy among females (82.4 years) was 4.9 years greater than among males (77.5). Among New Jersey residents, life expectancy is highest among Asians (90.1 years), followed by Hispanics (84.6), Whites (79.6), and Blacks (74.6). By county, estimates range from 74.7 years in Cumberland to 82.8 years in Bergen.

How Do We Compare With the U.S.?

Life expectancy among New Jersey residents is slightly greater than the U.S. estimate of 77.5 years. [https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/life-expectancy.htm ^1^]

Available Services

Average life expectancy for your zip code or census tract: [https://www.rwjf.org/en/library/interactives/whereyouliveaffectshowlongyoulive.html Neighborhood Life Expectancy Project] [https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data-visualization/life-expectancy/ Static Map] of Life Expectancy at Birth for U.S. States and Census Tracts, 2010-2015

More Resources

[https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/life_tables.htm U.S. Life Tables] - 1890 to present [https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/usaleep/usaleep.html U.S. Small-area Life Expectancy Estimates Project (USALEEP)] - Data and Methodology [https://health.gov/healthypeople/objectives-and-data/overall-health-and-well-being-measures Healthy People 2030] Overall Health and Well-Being Measures

Footnote References

1. [https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/life-expectancy.htm NCHS FastStats] - Life Expectancy