Life Expectancy Comparison
Health

Alabama vs Tennessee: Life Expectancy

Tennessee has a higher life expectancy than Alabama.

Alabama flag
Alabama
AL • South
73.2 yrs
Life expectancy at birth in years (CDC 2021).
Tennessee flag
Tennessee
TN • South
Winner
73.8 yrs
Life expectancy at birth in years (CDC 2021).

Visual Comparison

Alabama 73.2 yrs
Tennessee 73.8 yrs

Health Context

Key factors that shape the life-expectancy gap between these two states.

Health
Life Expectancy

Tennessee residents live 0.6 years longer on average

Tennessee has a life expectancy of 73.8 yrs vs 73.2 yrs in Alabama, a meaningful gap for relocation planning.

Poverty

Tennessee has a lower poverty rate

Poverty and health outcomes are closely linked. Tennessee's lower poverty rate (14.0%) versus Alabama (15.6%) is part of the longevity story.

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Income

Tennessee has higher household income

Higher median income correlates with better healthcare access. Tennessee leads at $62,166 vs $54,943 in Alabama.

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Affordability

Alabama has a lower cost of living

Lower living costs mean more disposable income for healthcare. Alabama's cost-of-living index is 88.6 vs 92.0 in the other state.

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Health Snapshot

Alabama flag
Alabama
Health
Life expectancy
73.2 yrs
Economy
Median household income
$54,943
Poverty rate
15.6%
Cost of living index
88.6
Tennessee flag
Tennessee
Health
Life expectancy
73.8 yrs
Economy
Median household income
$62,166
Poverty rate
14.0%
Cost of living index
92.0

What Stands Out

  • Tennessee has the higher life expectancy at 73.8 years.
  • Tennessee has the lower poverty rate.
  • Tennessee has the higher median household income.

What This Means

Alabama vs Tennessee: Life Expectancy in context

Tennessee has a life expectancy of 73.8 yrs, compared with 73.2 yrs in Alabama. Life expectancy at birth in years (CDC 2021).

Alabama
73.2 yrs
Tennessee
73.8 yrs

People Also Ask

Alabama vs Tennessee Life Expectancy — Common Questions

Q What is Alabama's life expectancy?

Alabama's life expectancy is 73.2 yrs.

Q What is Tennessee's life expectancy?

Tennessee's life expectancy is 73.8 yrs.

Q Which state has a higher life expectancy — Alabama or Tennessee?

Tennessee has a higher life expectancy than Alabama.

Sources: Core demographic data comes from the 2020 U.S. Census, with land area from U.S. Census Bureau TIGER files. Income, housing, affordability, and tax fields are maintained in our comparison dataset, with minimum wage data from the U.S. Department of Labor, gas prices from AAA, and electricity rates from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Political control and election fields use 2024 presidential results together with National Conference of State Legislatures data. Gun-law labels use the Giffords scorecard, alcohol system data comes from NABCA, and marijuana status uses NCSL's state cannabis laws tracker.