Life expectancy for men in Kentucky

Life expectancy at birth for men in Kentucky was 69.6 years in 2021, according to the CDC. That is 45th among the 50 states and DC, and 3.9 years below the US figure of 73.5.

At birth, 202169.6

Rank of 5145th

vs US−3.9

The survival curve

Kentucky United States

Share of men still alive at each age, from birth. The orange dots mark the age half reach. This is our estimate, not a CDC table.

Half of men in Kentucky reach about 76, which is well above the 69.6 at the top of this page. Two things explain the difference. Deaths at young ages pull an average down further than they move the halfway mark. And the curve is built on the 2023 national table, while the published state figures are from 2021, a pandemic year when life expectancy was lower.

If you've already made it this far

Life expectancy at birth counts everyone, including those who die young. A man in Kentucky who has already reached one of these ages can expect more.

Age now	Years left, on average	Half reach
25	48.5	77
35	39.7	77
45	31.2	78
55	23.0	79
65	15.8	81
75	9.7	84

Estimates for a man with average habits. The quiz adjusts them for yours.

Now do yours

These are averages for men in Kentucky. The quiz adjusts for your age, smoking, exercise, and build, and hands you a tombstone.

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Next on the list

43rd Oklahoma 70.0
44th Arkansas 69.7
45th Kentucky 69.6
46th New Mexico 69.4
46th Tennessee 69.4

Women in Kentucky: 75.3 years at birth, 5.7 years more.

Women in Kentucky All 51 ranked

Where the numbers come from

Life expectancy at birth, the rank, and the gap are from the CDC's U.S. State Life Tables, 2021 (National Vital Statistics Reports, Vol. 73, No. 7). The curve and the table by age are this site's estimates: they apply Kentucky's 2021 gap from the national figure to the Social Security 2023 life table. How the math works.