The life expectancy of New Yorkers has recovered to pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels.
According to the New York City Department of Health, life expectancy in 2023 will be 82.6 years, the same as in 2019, before the COVID-19 outbreak. This is 4.2 years longer than the national average life expectancy of 78.4 years.
Life expectancy in New York City plummeted to 78 years in 2020 due to a surge in deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic but gradually recovered to 80.7 years in 2021 and 81.5 years in 2022. In 2023, life expectancy in New York City will be 85.2 years for women, 5 years longer than 79.7 years for men. By region, Sunnyside and Woodside, Queens, had the highest life expectancy at 90.3 years.
Flushing, Queens, where a large Korean population resides, had 85.7 years, Fresh Meadows 85.2 years, Bayside 84.9 years, and Astoria and Long Island City 84.1 years, already far exceeding New York City’s 2030 life expectancy target of 84 years.
By race, Asian Pacific Islanders had the highest life expectancy at 86.9 years, followed by non-Hispanic and Latino whites at 83.3 years. This was followed by Hispanic and Latino individuals at 82.8 years, and non-Hispanic and Latino black individuals at 78.3 years.
Meanwhile, as of 2023, the leading causes of death for New Yorkers are estimated to be heart disease, cancer, drug abuse, and cerebrovascular disease.