Counties with the shortest life expectancy in Nebraska
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 Nebraska. 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.
#42. Saline County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #66
--- Length of life rank: #22
--- Quality of life rank: #76
#41. Saunders County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #16
--- Length of life rank: #14
--- Quality of life rank: #22
#40. Thayer County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #36
--- Length of life rank: #20
--- Quality of life rank: #52
#39. Douglas County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #25
--- Length of life rank: #27
--- Quality of life rank: #29
#38. Dawes County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #34
--- Length of life rank: #64
--- Quality of life rank: #23
#36. Dawson County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #59
--- Length of life rank: #60
--- Quality of life rank: #60
#36. Clay County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #26
--- Length of life rank: #23
--- Quality of life rank: #36
#34. Madison County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #35
--- Length of life rank: #29
--- Quality of life rank: #35
#34. Jefferson County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #23
--- Length of life rank: #10
--- Quality of life rank: #53
#29. Furnas County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #69
--- Length of life rank: #62
--- Quality of life rank: #71
#29. Merrick County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #51
--- Length of life rank: #71
--- Quality of life rank: #28
#29. Howard County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #47
--- Length of life rank: #69
--- Quality of life rank: #25
#29. Red Willow County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #37
--- Length of life rank: #30
--- Quality of life rank: #34
#29. Butler County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #11
--- Length of life rank: #12
--- Quality of life rank: #14
#27. Hall County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #54
--- Length of life rank: #58
--- Quality of life rank: #55
#27. Adams County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #53
--- Length of life rank: #67
--- Quality of life rank: #41
#25. Gage County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #56
--- Length of life rank: #63
--- Quality of life rank: #50
#25. Lincoln County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #45
--- Length of life rank: #61
--- Quality of life rank: #38
#23. Dundy County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #71
--- Length of life rank: #33
--- Quality of life rank: #75
#23. Box Butte County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #63
--- Length of life rank: #66
--- Quality of life rank: #59
#19. Dakota County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #58
--- Length of life rank: #24
--- Quality of life rank: #72
#19. Nuckolls County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #41
--- Length of life rank: #33
--- Quality of life rank: #42
#19. Johnson County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #39
--- Length of life rank: #31
--- Quality of life rank: #40
#19. Boyd County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #38
--- Length of life rank: #33
--- Quality of life rank: #33
#16. Cheyenne County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #72
--- Length of life rank: #76
--- Quality of life rank: #46
#16. Richardson County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #64
--- Length of life rank: #32
--- Quality of life rank: #68
#16. Polk County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #21
--- Length of life rank: #70
--- Quality of life rank: #2
#14. Webster County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #55
--- Length of life rank: #33
--- Quality of life rank: #58
#14. Nemaha County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #31
--- Length of life rank: #65
--- Quality of life rank: #21
#12. Morrill County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #73
--- Length of life rank: #72
--- Quality of life rank: #63
#12. Pawnee County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #67
--- Length of life rank: #33
--- Quality of life rank: #70
#10. Dodge County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #70
--- Length of life rank: #68
--- Quality of life rank: #62
#10. Gosper County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #50
--- Length of life rank: #33
--- Quality of life rank: #49
#9. Sheridan County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #74
--- Length of life rank: #75
--- Quality of life rank: #57
#8. Nance County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #42
--- Length of life rank: #33
--- Quality of life rank: #43
#5. Scotts Bluff County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #76
--- Length of life rank: #74
--- Quality of life rank: #73
#5. Franklin County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #57
--- Length of life rank: #33
--- Quality of life rank: #61
#5. Garden County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #28
--- Length of life rank: #33
--- Quality of life rank: #26
#3. Burt County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #75
--- Length of life rank: #77
--- Quality of life rank: #56
#3. Hitchcock County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #68
--- Length of life rank: #33
--- Quality of life rank: #74
#2. Kimball County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #78
--- Length of life rank: #78
--- Quality of life rank: #78
#1. Thurston County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #79
--- Length of life rank: #79
--- Quality of life rank: #79