Women in the District of Columbia boast the highest life expectancy among U.S. states at 93 years, attributed to urban health advantages and improved socioeconomic conditions.

Overall, life expectancy for women rose from 73.8 years in 1900 to 84.1 years in 2000, while for men it increased from 62.8 years to 80.3 years.

The research analyzed death data from 77 million women and 102 million men born between 1900 and 2000, with findings published in the journal JAMA Network Open on April 27, 2025.

States such as New York, California, Massachusetts, and Hawaii also show significant improvements in life expectancy for women born in 2000, reflecting positive trends since 1900.

The study highlights that life expectancy is influenced by state-specific factors and trends, emphasizing the importance of policies that enhance living conditions, such as a livable wage and access to healthcare.

These findings aim to assist health departments in addressing state-specific health disparities and underscore the need for long-term public health strategies.

In contrast, Washington D.C. and many western and northeastern states have experienced substantial increases in life expectancy, with D.C. rising from 61.1 to 72.8 years.

For males, life expectancy improved between 1900 and 1950 in many Southern states but has stagnated since then.

A recent study from the Yale School of Public Health has uncovered significant geographic disparities in life expectancy across the United States, particularly affecting women.

Factors influencing these disparities include cigarette smoking, drug use, environmental health, vaccination rates, healthcare access, and socioeconomic conditions.

In certain Southern states, however, women's life expectancy has seen minimal improvement over the last century; for instance, West Virginia's increased from 74.3 to only 75.3 years.

Despite the overall trend in the region, specific Southern states like Florida, Texas, and Virginia rank among the top 20 for life expectancy for both genders.