Life Expectancy
North Carolina residents live 1.9 years longer on average
North Carolina has a life expectancy of 75.7 yrs vs 73.8 yrs in Tennessee, a meaningful gap for relocation planning.
Life Expectancy Comparison
Health
North Carolina vs Tennessee: Life Expectancy
North Carolina has a higher life expectancy than Tennessee.
North Carolina
NC • South
75.7 yrs
Life expectancy at birth in years (CDC 2021).
Tennessee
TN • South
73.8 yrs
Life expectancy at birth in years (CDC 2021).
Visual Comparison
North Carolina
75.7 yrs
Tennessee
73.8 yrs
Health Context
Key factors that shape the life-expectancy gap between these two states.
Health
Poverty
North Carolina has a lower poverty rate
Poverty and health outcomes are closely linked. North Carolina's lower poverty rate (12.8%) versus Tennessee (14.0%) is part of the longevity story.
View detailed comparisonIncome
North Carolina has higher household income
Higher median income correlates with better healthcare access. North Carolina leads at $63,947 vs $62,166 in Tennessee.
View detailed comparisonAffordability
Tennessee has a lower cost of living
Lower living costs mean more disposable income for healthcare. Tennessee's cost-of-living index is 92.0 vs 96.4 in the other state.
View detailed comparisonHealth Snapshot
North Carolina
Health
Life expectancy
75.7 yrs
Economy
Median household income
$63,947
Poverty rate
12.8%
Cost of living index
96.4
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
- North Carolina has the higher life expectancy at 75.7 years.
- North Carolina has the lower poverty rate.
- North Carolina has the higher median household income.
Related Pages
What This Means
North Carolina vs Tennessee: Life Expectancy in context
North Carolina has a life expectancy of 75.7 yrs, compared with 73.8 yrs in Tennessee. Life expectancy at birth in years (CDC 2021).
North Carolina
75.7 yrs
Tennessee
73.8 yrs
People Also Ask
North Carolina vs Tennessee Life Expectancy — Common Questions
Q What is North Carolina's life expectancy?
North Carolina's life expectancy is 75.7 yrs.
Q What is Tennessee's life expectancy?
Tennessee's life expectancy is 73.8 yrs.
Q Which state has a higher life expectancy — North Carolina or Tennessee?
North Carolina has a higher life expectancy than Tennessee.
More Comparisons: North Carolina vs Tennessee
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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.