Health

Arizona vs California: Life Expectancy

California has a higher life expectancy than Arizona.

Arizona flag
Arizona
AZ · West
76.6 yrs
Life expectancy at birth in years (CDC 2021).
California flag
California
CA · West
Winner
79.2 yrs
Life expectancy at birth in years (CDC 2021).

Visual comparison

Arizona76.6 yrs
California79.2 yrs

National Rankings

Where They Rank Nationally

See where both states fall among all 50 states for life expectancy.

Arizona #31 · 76.6 yrs
California #12 · 79.2 yrs
Lowest Highest

Top 10 States — Life Expectancy

#1 Hawaii flag Hawaii
81.6 yrs
#2 Connecticut flag Connecticut
80.7 yrs
#3 Utah flag Utah
80.4 yrs
#4 Minnesota flag Minnesota
80.1 yrs
#5 Massachusetts flag Massachusetts
80.0 yrs
#6 Vermont flag Vermont
80.0 yrs
#7 Washington flag Washington
79.8 yrs
#8 Colorado flag Colorado
79.7 yrs
#9 New Hampshire flag New Hampshire
79.5 yrs
#10 New York flag New York
79.4 yrs
Selected states
#31 Arizona flag Arizona
76.6 yrs
#12 California flag California
79.2 yrs

Arizona ranks 31st and California ranks 12th nationally for life expectancy.

Health Context

Life Expectancy in context

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

Life Expectancy

California residents live 2.6 years longer on average

California has a life expectancy of 79.2 yrs vs 76.6 yrs in Arizona, a meaningful gap for relocation planning.

Poverty

California has a lower poverty rate

Poverty and health outcomes are closely linked. California's lower poverty rate (12.0%) versus Arizona (12.4%) is part of the longevity story.

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Income

California has higher household income

Higher median income correlates with better healthcare access. California leads at $84,097 vs $72,581 in Arizona.

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Affordability

Arizona has a lower cost of living

Lower living costs mean more disposable income for healthcare. Arizona's cost-of-living index is 103.1 vs 138.5 in the other state.

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Health snapshot

Arizona
Life expectancy
76.6 yrs
Median household income
$72,581
Poverty rate
12.4%
Cost of living index
103.1
California
Life expectancy
79.2 yrs
Median household income
$84,097
Poverty rate
12.0%
Cost of living index
138.5

What stands out

  • California has the higher life expectancy at 79.2 years.
  • California has the lower poverty rate.
  • California has the higher median household income.

Related pages

What this means

Arizona vs California: Life Expectancy in context

California's life expectancy is 79.2 yrs, compared with 76.6 yrs in Arizona. Life expectancy at birth in years (CDC 2021).

Arizona
76.6 yrs
California
79.2 yrs

People also ask

Arizona vs California Life Expectancy — common questions

QWhat is Arizona's life expectancy?

Arizona's life expectancy is 76.6 yrs.

QWhat is California's life expectancy?

California's life expectancy is 79.2 yrs.

QWhich state has a higher life expectancy — Arizona or California?

California has a higher life expectancy than Arizona.

More comparisons: Arizona vs California

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Full comparison

Data source and freshness

Data period
2021
Dataset reviewed
July 23, 2026
Method note
Life expectancy at birth.