Counties with the shortest life expectancy in California
CFang // Wikimedia Commons
Counties with the shortest life expectancy in California
Life expectancy in the United States has generally been on the rise. Between 1960 and 2019, the life expectancy of Americans rose by roughly a decade to the age of 79. Greater longevity can be attributed to improved health care such as diagnostic and medical advancements, as well as healthier lifestyle choices relating to diet, smoking, and alcohol consumption.
Since 2020, however, life expectancy has started to decline. The opioid epidemic, COVID-19, and unintentional injuries—largely driven by drug overdoses—were the leading causes of a three-year decrease in life expectancy over the last two years. Stark disparities among certain segments of the population have also been observed. American Indians/Alaska Natives saw a life expectancy decrease of more than six years; Hispanic and Black Americans, a drop of four years; and white and Asian Americans, a decrease of about two years.
While no one single factor determines the overall health of an entire community, certain socioeconomic and environmental factors such as access to health care, substance abuse treatments, clean air, clean water, and affordable housing contribute significantly to the general health and wellbeing of the entire population.
Using 2022 County Health Rankings & Roadmaps from the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, Stacker identified counties with the shortest life expectancy in California. Life expectancy measures the average number of years from birth a person can expect to live, and is calculated based on the number of deaths in a given time period and the average number of people at risk of dying during that period. Counties with unreliable or insufficient data were excluded from the analysis. Mortality data came from the National Vital Statistics System.
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#36. Sierra County
– Average life expectancy: 81 years (same as statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #50
— Length of life rank: #29
— Quality of life rank: #58
Frank Schulenburg // Wikimedia Commons
#35. Nevada County
– Average life expectancy: 80.8 years (0.2 less than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #20
— Length of life rank: #25
— Quality of life rank: #8
EPoelzl // Wikimedia Commons
#34. Mariposa County
– Average life expectancy: 80.6 years (0.4 less than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #31
— Length of life rank: #35
— Quality of life rank: #31
Daniel Orth // Flickr
#32. Riverside County
– Average life expectancy: 80 years (1.0 less than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #25
— Length of life rank: #22
— Quality of life rank: #30
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#32. Solano County
– Average life expectancy: 80 years (1.0 less than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #22
— Length of life rank: #23
— Quality of life rank: #19
Bobak Ha’Eri // Wikimedia Commons
#31. Amador County
– Average life expectancy: 79.7 years (1.3 less than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #23
— Length of life rank: #28
— Quality of life rank: #18
CleanWater17 // Wikimedia Commons
#30. Colusa County
– Average life expectancy: 79.6 years (1.4 less than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #27
— Length of life rank: #27
— Quality of life rank: #28
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#29. Calaveras County
– Average life expectancy: 79.5 years (1.5 less than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #28
— Length of life rank: #43
— Quality of life rank: #22
Armona // Wikicommons
#27. Kings County
– Average life expectancy: 79.2 years (1.8 less than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #32
— Length of life rank: #26
— Quality of life rank: #44
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#27. Sacramento County
– Average life expectancy: 79.2 years (1.8 less than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #26
— Length of life rank: #24
— Quality of life rank: #25
Public Domain
#26. Madera County
– Average life expectancy: 79.1 years (1.9 less than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #37
— Length of life rank: #32
— Quality of life rank: #48
Cbl62 // Wikicommons
#25. Imperial County
– Average life expectancy: 79 years (2.0 less than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #33
— Length of life rank: #31
— Quality of life rank: #40
Chuck Abbe // Wikimedia Commons
#24. Inyo County
– Average life expectancy: 78.7 years (2.3 less than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #41
— Length of life rank: #45
— Quality of life rank: #42
Binksternet // Wikimedia Commons
#23. Mendocino County
– Average life expectancy: 78.5 years (2.5 less than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #44
— Length of life rank: #48
— Quality of life rank: #36
Ray Bouknight // Wikicommons
#22. Sutter County
– Average life expectancy: 78.4 years (2.6 less than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #35
— Length of life rank: #37
— Quality of life rank: #39
Finetooth // Wikimedia Commons
#20. Lassen County
– Average life expectancy: 78.3 years (2.7 less than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #48
— Length of life rank: #38
— Quality of life rank: #52
Bobak Ha’Eri // Wikimedia Commons
#20. Tuolumne County
– Average life expectancy: 78.3 years (2.7 less than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #34
— Length of life rank: #46
— Quality of life rank: #27
Mark Miller // Wikimedia Commons
#19. Merced County
– Average life expectancy: 78.2 years (2.8 less than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #38
— Length of life rank: #34
— Quality of life rank: #46
David Jordan // Wikicommons
#18. Fresno County
– Average life expectancy: 78 years (3.0 less than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #45
— Length of life rank: #36
— Quality of life rank: #51
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#17. Tulare County
– Average life expectancy: 77.8 years (3.2 less than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #47
— Length of life rank: #33
— Quality of life rank: #55
LPS.1 // Wikicommons
#16. San Joaquin County
– Average life expectancy: 77.7 years (3.3 less than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #42
— Length of life rank: #40
— Quality of life rank: #47
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#14. San Bernardino County
– Average life expectancy: 77.6 years (3.4 less than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #43
— Length of life rank: #39
— Quality of life rank: #49
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#14. Butte County
– Average life expectancy: 77.6 years (3.4 less than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #29
— Length of life rank: #42
— Quality of life rank: #23
Kenneth Green // Wikimedia Commons
#13. Plumas County
– Average life expectancy: 77.4 years (3.6 less than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #54
— Length of life rank: #54
— Quality of life rank: #54
Trance addict // Wikimedia Commons
#11. Glenn County
– Average life expectancy: 77.3 years (3.7 less than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #40
— Length of life rank: #44
— Quality of life rank: #37
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#11. Stanislaus County
– Average life expectancy: 77.3 years (3.7 less than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #36
— Length of life rank: #41
— Quality of life rank: #35
Cory Maylett // Wikimedia Commons
#10. Humboldt County
– Average life expectancy: 77.2 years (3.8 less than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #39
— Length of life rank: #47
— Quality of life rank: #24
Scott Burley // Wikimedia Commons
#9. Modoc County
– Average life expectancy: 76.9 years (4.1 less than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #55
— Length of life rank: #56
— Quality of life rank: #53
nickchapman // Wikicommons
#8. Kern County
– Average life expectancy: 76.5 years (4.5 less than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #53
— Length of life rank: #49
— Quality of life rank: #56
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#6. Del Norte County
– Average life expectancy: 76.3 years (4.7 less than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #51
— Length of life rank: #51
— Quality of life rank: #43
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Sacramento District // Wikimedia Commons
#6. Yuba County
– Average life expectancy: 76.3 years (4.7 less than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #49
— Length of life rank: #50
— Quality of life rank: #41
Frank Schulenburg // Wikimedia Commons
#5. Tehama County
– Average life expectancy: 76.2 years (4.8 less than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #52
— Length of life rank: #53
— Quality of life rank: #45
Chmee2 // Wikimedia Commons
#4. Siskiyou County
– Average life expectancy: 75.9 years (5.1 less than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #57
— Length of life rank: #55
— Quality of life rank: #57
Doug Kerr // Wikicommons
#3. Shasta County
– Average life expectancy: 75.8 years (5.2 less than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #46
— Length of life rank: #52
— Quality of life rank: #29
CFang // Wikimedia Commons
#2. Lake County
– Average life expectancy: 74.8 years (6.2 less than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #56
— Length of life rank: #57
— Quality of life rank: #50
Almonroth // Wikimedia Commons
#1. Trinity County
– Average life expectancy: 74.6 years (6.4 less than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #58
— Length of life rank: #58
— Quality of life rank: #32
