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U.S. / county disease rankings

Counties with the lowest life expectancy (U.S.)

Among 3,068 U.S. counties with published values, the counties with the lowest life expectancy are Buffalo County, SD (54, against the U.S. county median of 75.3), Dewey County, SD (56.7, against the U.S. county median of 75.3) and Oglala Lakota County, SD (56.9, against the U.S. county median of 75.3). Values are years.

Source: County Health Rankings, built from CDC National Vital Statistics System death records. These are county-level figures, compared with the U.S. county median. A high rate does not prove an environmental cause: age, smoking, income, access to care, screening and chance all move county rates, and small counties swing widely.

Top 50 U.S. counties

Life expectancy, years. Showing 50 of 3,068 counties with published values.

Counties with the lowest life expectancy (U.S.)
RankCountyStateValueU.S. county medianTimes reference
1Buffalo CountySD5475.30.72x
2Dewey CountySD56.775.30.75x
3Oglala Lakota CountySD56.975.30.76x
4Corson CountySD58.775.30.78x
5Todd CountySD58.775.30.78x
6Sioux CountyND59.675.30.79x
7Benson CountyND60.175.30.8x
8Roosevelt CountyMT60.475.30.8x
9Kingman CountyKS6175.30.81x
10Mellette CountySD61.675.30.82x
11Menominee CountyWI6375.30.84x
12Thurston CountyNE63.275.30.84x
13Edwards CountyKS63.675.30.84x
14Apache CountyAZ63.875.30.85x
15McKinley CountyNM63.975.30.85x
16Jackson CountySD64.175.30.85x
17Petersburg cityVA64.375.30.85x
18Owsley CountyKY64.575.30.86x
19Big Horn CountyMT64.675.30.86x
20Kusilvak Census AreaAK6575.30.86x
21Norton cityVA6575.30.86x
22McDowell CountyWV65.175.30.86x
23Rolette CountyND65.275.30.87x
24Coahoma CountyMS65.375.30.87x
25Wolfe CountyKY65.575.30.87x
26Leflore CountyMS65.675.30.87x
27Pemiscot CountyMO65.675.30.87x
28Harlan CountyKY65.775.30.87x
29Holmes CountyMS65.775.30.87x
30Perry CountyKY65.775.30.87x
31Martinsville cityVA65.875.30.87x
32Mingo CountyWV65.875.30.87x
33Ziebach CountySD65.875.30.87x
34Rosebud CountyMT65.975.30.88x
35Logan CountyWV66.275.30.88x
36Galax cityVA66.475.30.88x
37Neshoba CountyMS66.575.30.88x
38Franklin cityVA66.675.30.88x
39Humphreys CountyMS66.675.30.88x
40Tunica CountyMS66.675.30.88x
41Sharkey CountyMS66.775.30.89x
42Emporia cityVA66.875.30.89x
43Glacier CountyMT66.975.30.89x
44Quitman CountyMS66.975.30.89x
45Washington CountyMS66.975.30.89x
46Bolivar CountyMS6775.30.89x
47Floyd CountyKY6775.30.89x
48Knott CountyKY67.175.30.89x
49Navajo CountyAZ67.175.30.89x
50Dillon CountySC67.275.30.89x

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