Counties with the shortest life expectancy in Georgia
Life expectancy in the United States has generally been on the rise. Between 1960 and 2019, the life expectancy of Americans rose by roughly a decade to the age of 79. Greater longevity can be attributed to improved health care such as diagnostic and medical advancements, as well as healthier lifestyle choices relating to diet, smoking, and alcohol consumption.
Since 2020, however, life expectancy has started to decline. The opioid epidemic, COVID-19, and unintentional injuries—largely driven by drug overdoses—were the leading causes of a three-year decrease in life expectancy over the last two years. Stark disparities among certain segments of the population have also been observed. American Indians/Alaska Natives saw a life expectancy decrease of more than six years; Hispanic and Black Americans, a drop of four years; and white and Asian Americans, a decrease of about two years.
While no one single factor determines the overall health of an entire community, certain socioeconomic and environmental factors such as access to health care, substance abuse treatments, clean air, clean water, and affordable housing contribute significantly to the general health and wellbeing of the entire population.
Using 2022 County Health Rankings & Roadmaps from the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, Stacker identified counties with the shortest life expectancy in Georgia. Life expectancy measures the average number of years from birth a person can expect to live, and is calculated based on the number of deaths in a given time period and the average number of people at risk of dying during that period. Counties with unreliable or insufficient data were excluded from the analysis. Mortality data came from the National Vital Statistics System.
#49. Lamar County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #106
--- Length of life rank: #118
--- Quality of life rank: #91
#49. Brooks County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #95
--- Length of life rank: #95
--- Quality of life rank: #102
#47. Elbert County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #109
--- Length of life rank: #112
--- Quality of life rank: #106
#47. Tift County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #93
--- Length of life rank: #94
--- Quality of life rank: #104
#46. Jeff Davis County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #114
--- Length of life rank: #97
--- Quality of life rank: #133
#41. Seminole County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #128
--- Length of life rank: #125
--- Quality of life rank: #132
#41. Clay County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #126
--- Length of life rank: #74
--- Quality of life rank: #154
#41. Sumter County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #123
--- Length of life rank: #109
--- Quality of life rank: #136
#41. Coffee County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #108
--- Length of life rank: #103
--- Quality of life rank: #109
#41. Muscogee County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #92
--- Length of life rank: #113
--- Quality of life rank: #75
#40. Colquitt County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #119
--- Length of life rank: #126
--- Quality of life rank: #110
#33. Meriwether County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #144
--- Length of life rank: #151
--- Quality of life rank: #127
#33. Toombs County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #115
--- Length of life rank: #117
--- Quality of life rank: #118
#33. Peach County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #104
--- Length of life rank: #128
--- Quality of life rank: #70
#33. Pierce County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #102
--- Length of life rank: #120
--- Quality of life rank: #81
#33. Wayne County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #99
--- Length of life rank: #110
--- Quality of life rank: #87
#33. Polk County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #85
--- Length of life rank: #104
--- Quality of life rank: #68
#33. Franklin County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #84
--- Length of life rank: #114
--- Quality of life rank: #60
#30. Macon County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #149
--- Length of life rank: #133
--- Quality of life rank: #151
#30. Wilkinson County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #145
--- Length of life rank: #147
--- Quality of life rank: #129
#30. Richmond County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #124
--- Length of life rank: #139
--- Quality of life rank: #103
#25. Crisp County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #155
--- Length of life rank: #152
--- Quality of life rank: #155
#25. Warren County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #152
--- Length of life rank: #154
--- Quality of life rank: #152
#25. McDuffie County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #146
--- Length of life rank: #153
--- Quality of life rank: #128
#25. Laurens County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #133
--- Length of life rank: #145
--- Quality of life rank: #107
#25. Atkinson County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #112
--- Length of life rank: #122
--- Quality of life rank: #108
#20. Irwin County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #147
--- Length of life rank: #141
--- Quality of life rank: #140
#20. Burke County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #143
--- Length of life rank: #146
--- Quality of life rank: #123
#20. Bibb County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #129
--- Length of life rank: #135
--- Quality of life rank: #117
#20. Decatur County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #118
--- Length of life rank: #121
--- Quality of life rank: #119
#20. Haralson County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #90
--- Length of life rank: #124
--- Quality of life rank: #59
#18. Dougherty County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #150
--- Length of life rank: #149
--- Quality of life rank: #147
#18. Emanuel County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #94
--- Length of life rank: #96
--- Quality of life rank: #100
#16. Mitchell County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #134
--- Length of life rank: #129
--- Quality of life rank: #137
#16. Stephens County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #81
--- Length of life rank: #116
--- Quality of life rank: #51
#15. Terrell County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #142
--- Length of life rank: #130
--- Quality of life rank: #144
#14. Bacon County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #139
--- Length of life rank: #144
--- Quality of life rank: #115
#11. Candler County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #148
--- Length of life rank: #143
--- Quality of life rank: #146
#11. Turner County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #138
--- Length of life rank: #119
--- Quality of life rank: #148
#11. Ware County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #127
--- Length of life rank: #132
--- Quality of life rank: #120
#10. Hancock County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #159
--- Length of life rank: #157
--- Quality of life rank: #159
#9. Chattooga County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #131
--- Length of life rank: #148
--- Quality of life rank: #94
#8. Jefferson County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #137
--- Length of life rank: #131
--- Quality of life rank: #138
#7. Early County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #157
--- Length of life rank: #155
--- Quality of life rank: #157
#6. Clinch County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #153
--- Length of life rank: #136
--- Quality of life rank: #158
#5. Twiggs County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #151
--- Length of life rank: #158
--- Quality of life rank: #111
#4. Upson County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #140
--- Length of life rank: #150
--- Quality of life rank: #112
#3. Ben Hill County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #154
--- Length of life rank: #156
--- Quality of life rank: #149
#2. Quitman County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #121
--- Length of life rank: #74
--- Quality of life rank: #150
#1. Miller County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #158
--- Length of life rank: #159
--- Quality of life rank: #96