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Tuesday, May. 5, 2026

Is the life expectancy for Americans 5-10 years less than that of similarly developed countries, as Rep. Breechen claimed?

Matthew Yim, Oklahoma Watch
no

As of 2023, life expectancy in America is 78.4 years, 2.7 years less than the average in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development countries, and ranks No. 30 of 38. 

One report attributed the 2.7-year gap to policy regarding health care access and delivery, while another comparing the U.S. to the U.K. pointed to cardiovascular disease, overdose deaths, gun-related deaths, and motor vehicle crashes.

Average life expectancies for OECD countries and the United States, and the gap between the two, have increased significantly since their 2003 numbers of 77.4 and 77.2 years, respectively.

More than 70% of OECD countries, including the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Canada, have life expectancies exceeding 80 years. The top three countries, Switzerland, Japan, and Spain,each have life expectancies of more than 84 years. 

Among the states, Oklahoma ranks No. 45 with a life expectancy of 73.8 years.

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