United States Life Tables, 2017

Abstract

Objectives-This report presents complete period life tables for the United States by race, Hispanic origin, and sex, based on age-specific death rates in 2017. Methods-Data used to prepare the 2017 life tables are 2017 final mortality statistics; July 1, 2017 population estimates based on the 2010 decennial census; and 2017 Medicare data for persons aged 66-99. The methodology used to estimate the life tables for the Hispanic population remains unchanged from that developed for the publication of life tables by Hispanic origin for data year 2006. The methodology used to estimate the 2017 life tables for all other groups was first implemented with data year 2008. Results-In 2017, the overall expectation of life at birth was 78.6 years, decreasing from 78.7 in 2016. Between 2016 and 2017, life expectancy at birth decreased by 0.1 year for males (76.2 to 76.1) and did not change for females (81.1). Life expectancy at birth decreased by 0.1 year for the white population (78.9 to 78.8) and the non-Hispanic white population (78.6 to 78.5) between 2016 and 2017. Life expectancy at birth did not change from 2016 for the black population (75.3), the non-Hispanic black population (74.9), and the Hispanic population (81.8).