Counties with the shortest life expectancy in Illinois
Life expectancy can be affected by a variety of factors. About 25% of your lifespan is determined by genetics, according to the National Library of Medicine. Health and wellness habits—like following a balanced, nutrient-rich diet; not smoking; drinking minimal alcohol; maintaining a healthy weight; and staying physically active—can add more than a decade to your life, research from the National Institutes of Health shows. While these factors are significant, another important element that you might not have considered is your environment and community.
While life expectancy generally increases annually in the United States—jumping from about 70.8 years old to 77.5 between 1970 and 2022, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention—this particular metric can vary from state to state or even county to county. In some parts of the country, the average lifespan is getting shorter based on a variety of risk factors on top of health, including socioeconomic factors like poverty, unemployment, income, and education.
According to a 2020 study from researchers at Penn State, West Virginia, and Michigan State Universities, communities with a higher population density, more fast food restaurants, and a high number of extraction industry-based jobs tend to have shorter life expectancies.
To find out how life expectancy varies within Illinois, Stacker used 2024 County Health Rankings & Roadmaps from the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute to identify the counties with the shortest life expectancy. 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.
Read on to see if your county is on the list.
#49. Morgan County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 76.4 years
--- 1.6 years lower than the state average
#49. Warren County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 76.4 years
--- 1.6 years lower than the state average
#46. Henderson County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 76.3 years
--- 1.7 years lower than the state average
#46. Marshall County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 76.3 years
--- 1.7 years lower than the state average
#46. Randolph County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 76.3 years
--- 1.7 years lower than the state average
#45. Scott County
- Life expectancy: 76.2 years
--- 1.8 years lower than the state average
#42. LaSalle County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 76.1 years
--- 1.9 years lower than the state average
#42. Jackson County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 76.1 years
--- 1.9 years lower than the state average
#42. Livingston County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 76.1 years
--- 1.9 years lower than the state average
#41. Schuyler County
- Life expectancy: 76.0 years
--- 2.0 years lower than the state average
#39. Macoupin County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 75.9 years
--- 2.1 years lower than the state average
#39. Peoria County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 75.9 years
--- 2.1 years lower than the state average
#37. Cass County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 75.8 years
--- 2.2 years lower than the state average
#37. Perry County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 75.8 years
--- 2.2 years lower than the state average
#35. Moultrie County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 75.7 years
--- 2.3 years lower than the state average
#35. Madison County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 75.7 years
--- 2.3 years lower than the state average
#33. Christian County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 75.6 years
--- 2.4 years lower than the state average
#33. Clark County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 75.6 years
--- 2.4 years lower than the state average
#32. Knox County
- Life expectancy: 75.5 years
--- 2.5 years lower than the state average
#30. Pike County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 75.4 years
--- 2.6 years lower than the state average
#30. Kankakee County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 75.4 years
--- 2.6 years lower than the state average
#27. Fulton County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 75.3 years
--- 2.7 years lower than the state average
#27. Winnebago County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 75.3 years
--- 2.7 years lower than the state average
#27. Greene County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 75.3 years
--- 2.7 years lower than the state average
#25. Jersey County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 75.2 years
--- 2.8 years lower than the state average
#25. Macon County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 75.2 years
--- 2.8 years lower than the state average
#22. Edwards County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 75.1 years
--- 2.9 years lower than the state average
#22. Wayne County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 75.1 years
--- 2.9 years lower than the state average
#22. Ford County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 75.1 years
--- 2.9 years lower than the state average
#19. Jefferson County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 75.0 years
--- 3.0 years lower than the state average
#19. Richland County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 75.0 years
--- 3.0 years lower than the state average
#19. Iroquois County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 75.0 years
--- 3.0 years lower than the state average
#18. Lawrence County
- Life expectancy: 74.9 years
--- 3.1 years lower than the state average
#16. Montgomery County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 74.8 years
--- 3.2 years lower than the state average
#16. Edgar County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 74.8 years
--- 3.2 years lower than the state average
#15. St. Clair County
- Life expectancy: 74.7 years
--- 3.3 years lower than the state average
#14. DeWitt County
- Life expectancy: 74.6 years
--- 3.4 years lower than the state average
#13. Stark County
- Life expectancy: 74.5 years
--- 3.5 years lower than the state average
#12. Union County
- Life expectancy: 74.1 years
--- 3.9 years lower than the state average
#11. Massac County
- Life expectancy: 74.0 years
--- 4.0 years lower than the state average
#10. White County
- Life expectancy: 73.9 years
--- 4.1 years lower than the state average
#9. Mason County
- Life expectancy: 73.8 years
--- 4.2 years lower than the state average
#8. Marion County
- Life expectancy: 73.4 years
--- 4.6 years lower than the state average
#7. Franklin County
- Life expectancy: 73.3 years
--- 4.7 years lower than the state average
#6. Vermilion County
- Life expectancy: 73.2 years
--- 4.8 years lower than the state average
#5. Pulaski County
- Life expectancy: 73.0 years
--- 5.0 years lower than the state average
#2. Gallatin County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 72.5 years
--- 5.5 years lower than the state average
#2. Saline County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 72.5 years
--- 5.5 years lower than the state average
#2. Hardin County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 72.5 years
--- 5.5 years lower than the state average
#1. Alexander County
- Life expectancy: 68.6 years
--- 9.4 years lower than the state average
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Kiersten Hickman, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 49 states.
