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.
| Rank | County | State | Value | U.S. county median | Times reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Buffalo County | SD | 54 | 75.3 | 0.72x |
| 2 | Dewey County | SD | 56.7 | 75.3 | 0.75x |
| 3 | Oglala Lakota County | SD | 56.9 | 75.3 | 0.76x |
| 4 | Corson County | SD | 58.7 | 75.3 | 0.78x |
| 5 | Todd County | SD | 58.7 | 75.3 | 0.78x |
| 6 | Sioux County | ND | 59.6 | 75.3 | 0.79x |
| 7 | Benson County | ND | 60.1 | 75.3 | 0.8x |
| 8 | Roosevelt County | MT | 60.4 | 75.3 | 0.8x |
| 9 | Kingman County | KS | 61 | 75.3 | 0.81x |
| 10 | Mellette County | SD | 61.6 | 75.3 | 0.82x |
| 11 | Menominee County | WI | 63 | 75.3 | 0.84x |
| 12 | Thurston County | NE | 63.2 | 75.3 | 0.84x |
| 13 | Edwards County | KS | 63.6 | 75.3 | 0.84x |
| 14 | Apache County | AZ | 63.8 | 75.3 | 0.85x |
| 15 | McKinley County | NM | 63.9 | 75.3 | 0.85x |
| 16 | Jackson County | SD | 64.1 | 75.3 | 0.85x |
| 17 | Petersburg city | VA | 64.3 | 75.3 | 0.85x |
| 18 | Owsley County | KY | 64.5 | 75.3 | 0.86x |
| 19 | Big Horn County | MT | 64.6 | 75.3 | 0.86x |
| 20 | Kusilvak Census Area | AK | 65 | 75.3 | 0.86x |
| 21 | Norton city | VA | 65 | 75.3 | 0.86x |
| 22 | McDowell County | WV | 65.1 | 75.3 | 0.86x |
| 23 | Rolette County | ND | 65.2 | 75.3 | 0.87x |
| 24 | Coahoma County | MS | 65.3 | 75.3 | 0.87x |
| 25 | Wolfe County | KY | 65.5 | 75.3 | 0.87x |
| 26 | Leflore County | MS | 65.6 | 75.3 | 0.87x |
| 27 | Pemiscot County | MO | 65.6 | 75.3 | 0.87x |
| 28 | Harlan County | KY | 65.7 | 75.3 | 0.87x |
| 29 | Holmes County | MS | 65.7 | 75.3 | 0.87x |
| 30 | Perry County | KY | 65.7 | 75.3 | 0.87x |
| 31 | Martinsville city | VA | 65.8 | 75.3 | 0.87x |
| 32 | Mingo County | WV | 65.8 | 75.3 | 0.87x |
| 33 | Ziebach County | SD | 65.8 | 75.3 | 0.87x |
| 34 | Rosebud County | MT | 65.9 | 75.3 | 0.88x |
| 35 | Logan County | WV | 66.2 | 75.3 | 0.88x |
| 36 | Galax city | VA | 66.4 | 75.3 | 0.88x |
| 37 | Neshoba County | MS | 66.5 | 75.3 | 0.88x |
| 38 | Franklin city | VA | 66.6 | 75.3 | 0.88x |
| 39 | Humphreys County | MS | 66.6 | 75.3 | 0.88x |
| 40 | Tunica County | MS | 66.6 | 75.3 | 0.88x |
| 41 | Sharkey County | MS | 66.7 | 75.3 | 0.89x |
| 42 | Emporia city | VA | 66.8 | 75.3 | 0.89x |
| 43 | Glacier County | MT | 66.9 | 75.3 | 0.89x |
| 44 | Quitman County | MS | 66.9 | 75.3 | 0.89x |
| 45 | Washington County | MS | 66.9 | 75.3 | 0.89x |
| 46 | Bolivar County | MS | 67 | 75.3 | 0.89x |
| 47 | Floyd County | KY | 67 | 75.3 | 0.89x |
| 48 | Knott County | KY | 67.1 | 75.3 | 0.89x |
| 49 | Navajo County | AZ | 67.1 | 75.3 | 0.89x |
| 50 | Dillon County | SC | 67.2 | 75.3 | 0.89x |