# United States life expectancy and mortality trends > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/united-states-life-expectancy-and-mortality-trends > Updated: 2026-09-28T05:10:00.000Z. Sources: 4. Developments: 2. Research led by Dr. Steven H. Woolf of Virginia Commonwealth University indicates a significant decline in United States life expectancy relative to other high-income nations. While the gap began widening in the 1990s, it accelerated sharply between 2010 and 2019. By 2023, the U.S. ranked 38th among countries with populations over one million, trailing nations such as Canada, Japan, and Australia. A critical component of this trend is the mortality rate among younger populations. Between 2010 and 2021, death rates for Americans aged 25 to 44 rose by 71.2%, the largest surge among any age group. In 2023, 60 countries reported a lower risk of death before age 40 than the U.S. Key drivers for these rising mortality rates include external causes—specifically drug overdoses, suicides, and homicides—as well as increasing rates of chronic conditions such as hypertensive, endocrine, metabolic, and neurological diseases. Contributing systemic factors include the opioid epidemic, firearm access, and healthcare challenges related to affordability and lack of universal insurance. ## Timeline ### 2026-09-28: United States life expectancy lags behind high-income nations A study shows US life expectancy has dropped to 38th place among large nations, driven by drug overdoses, violence, and healthcare costs, lagging significantly behind other high-income countries. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/united-states-life-expectancy-lags-behind-high-income-nations ### 2026-09-25: U.S. death rates for adults aged 25-44 rose 71% in a decade U.S. death rates for adults aged 25-44 rose 71.2% between 2010 and 2021, driven by drug overdoses and rising chronic diseases, causing U.S. life expectancy to lag behind many other nations. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/us-death-rates-for-adults-aged-25-44-rose-71-in-a-decade --- Cite as: United States life expectancy and mortality trends. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/united-states-life-expectancy-and-mortality-trends