Health

California vs New York: Life Expectancy

New York has a higher life expectancy than California.

California flag
California
CA · West
79.2 yrs
Life expectancy at birth in years (CDC 2021).
New York flag
New York
NY · Northeast
Winner
79.4 yrs
Life expectancy at birth in years (CDC 2021).

Visual comparison

California79.2 yrs
New York79.4 yrs

National Rankings

Where They Rank Nationally

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

California #12 · 79.2 yrs
New York #10 · 79.4 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
#12 California flag California
79.2 yrs

California ranks 12th and New York ranks 10th nationally for life expectancy.

Health Context

Life Expectancy in context

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

Life Expectancy

New York residents live 0.2 years longer on average

New York has a life expectancy of 79.4 yrs vs 79.2 yrs in California, 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 New York (14.2%) 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 $78,609 in New York.

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Affordability

New York has a lower cost of living

Lower living costs mean more disposable income for healthcare. New York's cost-of-living index is 132.7 vs 138.5 in the other state.

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Health snapshot

California
Health
Life expectancy
79.2 yrs
Economy
Median household income
$84,097
Poverty rate
12.0%
Cost of living index
138.5
New York
Health
Life expectancy
79.4 yrs
Economy
Median household income
$78,609
Poverty rate
14.2%
Cost of living index
132.7

What stands out

  • New York has the higher life expectancy at 79.4 years.
  • California has the lower poverty rate.
  • California has the higher median household income.

Related pages

Violent Crime Poverty Rate Income Cost of Living

What this means

California vs New York: Life Expectancy in context

New York's life expectancy is 79.4 yrs, compared with 79.2 yrs in California. Life expectancy at birth in years (CDC 2021).

California
79.2 yrs
New York
79.4 yrs

People also ask

California vs New York Life Expectancy — common questions

QWhat is California's life expectancy?

California's life expectancy is 79.2 yrs.

QWhat is New York's life expectancy?

New York's life expectancy is 79.4 yrs.

QWhich state has a higher life expectancy — California or New York?

New York has a higher life expectancy than California.

More comparisons: California vs New York

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Full comparison
Older Adult Health Outcomes Uninsured Rate Obesity Rate Healthcare Quality Score Infant Mortality Rate Drug Overdose Death Rate

Explore each state

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Data source and freshness

Primary source
CDC National Center for Health Statistics — State Life Expectancy
Data period
2021
Dataset reviewed
July 23, 2026
Method note
Life expectancy at birth.