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New Yorkers' life expectancy rises but remains below pre-pandemic levels, report finds
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Published Feb 20, 2025
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lamblukas via Flickr (CC BY 2.0)
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Published Feb 20, 2025
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The youngest New Yorkers can now expect 81.5 years of life, on average, to curse at tourists, pay city taxes and haggle with their local bodega workers.
That’s the latest estimated life expectancy at birth for residents of the five boroughs, according to a new report from the city’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. The number has been steadily rising since dropping sharply during the COVID-19 pandemic, and is currently just 1.5 years below the city’s goal of 83 years of life expectancy by 2030.
The analysis is based on data from 2022, the most recent year for which comprehensive metrics are available, according to the health department. It found that the life expectancies for every major demographic group took a big hit in 2020, as the coronavirus killed tens of thousands of residents. In 2019, the average citywide life expectancy was more than 82 years.
“The New York City 2022 life expectancy at birth was 82.1 years among Hispanics/Latinos, 82.3 years among non-Hispanic/Latino Whites, 76.9 years among non-Hispanic/Latino Blacks, and 86.0 years among Asians and Pacific Islanders,” the report said. “Life expectancy for each racial/ethnic group increased since 2021 but remained lower than 2019 estimates.”
Life expectancy rates for New Yorkers from 2013 to 2022
New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
Major disparities also persisted among neighborhoods when it came to life expectancy at birth. For 2013 to 2022, residents of Sunnyside and Woodside had the highest life expectancy, at 89.9 years on average, followed by the Midtown Business District at 89.2, Chelsea at 89, Greenwich Village and SoHo at 88.9, and Murray Hill at 87.7, the report found.
Life expectancy was lowest in Brownsville at 75.1 years, along with the Rockaways at 76.3, Central Harlem at 76.8, Morrisania at 77, and East Tremont at 77.1. Brownsville, Morrisania and East Tremont also had the city’s highest homicide rates, the health department said, and contain some of the city’s gun violence hotspots, according to data compiled by Gothamist.
Life expectancy rates by geography for New Yorkers from 2013 to 2022
New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
For all New Yorkers, the leading causes of death in 2022 were heart disease and cancer, followed by COVID-19 and drug use or poisoning.
Homicide rates have declined citywide, but drug-related deaths have skyrocketed, the report found. In 2022, 36.5 out of 100,000 people were estimated to have died from drug overdoses, which was much higher than the rates for traffic fatalities, fires and all other accidents. The neighborhoods with the highest rates of overdose deaths include Morrisania, East Tremont, Mott Haven, Hunts Point and University and Morris Heights — all in the Bronx.
Leading causes of death for New Yorkers from 2000 to 2022
New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
Meanwhile, the city’s infant mortality rate has continued to trend downward over roughly the last decade, according to the health agency. There were about four infant deaths for every 1,000 live births in 2022, or 6.5% less than the rate in 2013.
But infant deaths also reflected race-based disparities, with the highest rate, 7.6, being among Black residents. Asian and Pacific Islanders had the lowest infant mortality rates, at 1.9.
Infant mortality rates in New York City from 2013 to 2022
New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
The full report, which includes information on how the data is calculated, is available here.
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Brittany Kriegstein
Brittany Kriegstein covers all breaking news around New York City, with a focus on crime and gun violence. Got a tip? Email Brittany at [email protected].
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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