Counties with the shortest life expectancy in Oklahoma

Written by:
December 21, 2022
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Counties with the shortest life expectancy in Oklahoma

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 Oklahoma. 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.

#50. Woods County

- Average life expectancy: 75.4 years (0.1 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #10
--- Length of life rank: #16
--- Quality of life rank: #5

#48. Atoka County

- Average life expectancy: 75.3 years (0.2 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #55
--- Length of life rank: #38
--- Quality of life rank: #71

#48. Jefferson County

- Average life expectancy: 75.3 years (0.2 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #45
--- Length of life rank: #17
--- Quality of life rank: #73

#47. Cherokee County

- Average life expectancy: 75.1 years (0.4 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #46
--- Length of life rank: #33
--- Quality of life rank: #55

#45. Garfield County

- Average life expectancy: 75 years (0.5 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #27
--- Length of life rank: #28
--- Quality of life rank: #23

#45. Texas County

- Average life expectancy: 75 years (0.5 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #18
--- Length of life rank: #18
--- Quality of life rank: #24

#43. Bryan County

- Average life expectancy: 74.9 years (0.6 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #50
--- Length of life rank: #49
--- Quality of life rank: #50

#43. Major County

- Average life expectancy: 74.9 years (0.6 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #19
--- Length of life rank: #36
--- Quality of life rank: #10

#40. Tillman County

- Average life expectancy: 74.8 years (0.7 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #26
--- Length of life rank: #22
--- Quality of life rank: #32

#40. Murray County

- Average life expectancy: 74.8 years (0.7 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #24
--- Length of life rank: #21
--- Quality of life rank: #30

#40. Noble County

- Average life expectancy: 74.8 years (0.7 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #20
--- Length of life rank: #43
--- Quality of life rank: #8

#39. Grant County

- Average life expectancy: 74.6 years (0.9 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #12
--- Length of life rank: #35
--- Quality of life rank: #4

#37. McIntosh County

- Average life expectancy: 74.5 years (1.0 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #52
--- Length of life rank: #37
--- Quality of life rank: #66

#37. Creek County

- Average life expectancy: 74.5 years (1.0 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #40
--- Length of life rank: #45
--- Quality of life rank: #34

#34. Stephens County

- Average life expectancy: 74.4 years (1.1 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #48
--- Length of life rank: #46
--- Quality of life rank: #51

#34. Craig County

- Average life expectancy: 74.4 years (1.1 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #38
--- Length of life rank: #30
--- Quality of life rank: #45

#34. Jackson County

- Average life expectancy: 74.4 years (1.1 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #36
--- Length of life rank: #39
--- Quality of life rank: #31

#31. Pushmataha County

- Average life expectancy: 74.3 years (1.2 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #67
--- Length of life rank: #55
--- Quality of life rank: #75

#31. Love County

- Average life expectancy: 74.3 years (1.2 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #58
--- Length of life rank: #58
--- Quality of life rank: #58

#31. Carter County

- Average life expectancy: 74.3 years (1.2 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #41
--- Length of life rank: #32
--- Quality of life rank: #48

#30. Haskell County

- Average life expectancy: 74.2 years (1.3 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #49
--- Length of life rank: #52
--- Quality of life rank: #40

#28. Mayes County

- Average life expectancy: 74.1 years (1.4 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #59
--- Length of life rank: #53
--- Quality of life rank: #68

#28. Custer County

- Average life expectancy: 74.1 years (1.4 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #22
--- Length of life rank: #25
--- Quality of life rank: #21

#26. Pontotoc County

- Average life expectancy: 74 years (1.5 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #47
--- Length of life rank: #54
--- Quality of life rank: #35

#26. Pottawatomie County

- Average life expectancy: 74 years (1.5 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #39
--- Length of life rank: #34
--- Quality of life rank: #38

#24. Pawnee County

- Average life expectancy: 73.9 years (1.6 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #51
--- Length of life rank: #48
--- Quality of life rank: #52

#24. Washita County

- Average life expectancy: 73.9 years (1.6 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #33
--- Length of life rank: #50
--- Quality of life rank: #18

#23. Sequoyah County

- Average life expectancy: 73.8 years (1.7 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #62
--- Length of life rank: #51
--- Quality of life rank: #70

#22. Beckham County

- Average life expectancy: 73.6 years (1.9 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #42
--- Length of life rank: #47
--- Quality of life rank: #41

#19. Adair County

- Average life expectancy: 73.4 years (2.1 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #71
--- Length of life rank: #62
--- Quality of life rank: #76

#19. Cotton County

- Average life expectancy: 73.4 years (2.1 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #61
--- Length of life rank: #61
--- Quality of life rank: #57

#19. Dewey County

- Average life expectancy: 73.4 years (2.1 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #32
--- Length of life rank: #57
--- Quality of life rank: #9

#17. Le Flore County

- Average life expectancy: 73.2 years (2.3 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #56
--- Length of life rank: #56
--- Quality of life rank: #62

#17. Pittsburg County

- Average life expectancy: 73.2 years (2.3 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #53
--- Length of life rank: #64
--- Quality of life rank: #37

#16. Kay County

- Average life expectancy: 73.1 years (2.4 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #54
--- Length of life rank: #59
--- Quality of life rank: #47

#15. Johnston County

- Average life expectancy: 73 years (2.5 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #73
--- Length of life rank: #71
--- Quality of life rank: #74

#14. Ottawa County

- Average life expectancy: 72.6 years (2.9 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #64
--- Length of life rank: #63
--- Quality of life rank: #63

#13. Hughes County

- Average life expectancy: 72.5 years (3.0 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #60
--- Length of life rank: #66
--- Quality of life rank: #44

#11. McCurtain County

- Average life expectancy: 72.4 years (3.1 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #72
--- Length of life rank: #72
--- Quality of life rank: #69

#11. Okmulgee County

- Average life expectancy: 72.4 years (3.1 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #68
--- Length of life rank: #67
--- Quality of life rank: #67

#10. Garvin County

- Average life expectancy: 72.3 years (3.2 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #65
--- Length of life rank: #68
--- Quality of life rank: #53

#9. Choctaw County

- Average life expectancy: 72.2 years (3.3 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #75
--- Length of life rank: #70
--- Quality of life rank: #77

#8. Muskogee County

- Average life expectancy: 72.1 years (3.4 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #63
--- Length of life rank: #65
--- Quality of life rank: #59

#7. Kiowa County

- Average life expectancy: 71.8 years (3.7 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #57
--- Length of life rank: #60
--- Quality of life rank: #54

#6. Blaine County

- Average life expectancy: 71.7 years (3.8 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #66
--- Length of life rank: #75
--- Quality of life rank: #22

#4. Harmon County

- Average life expectancy: 71.5 years (4.0 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #77
--- Length of life rank: #77
--- Quality of life rank: #72

#4. Caddo County

- Average life expectancy: 71.5 years (4.0 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #69
--- Length of life rank: #69
--- Quality of life rank: #60

#3. Coal County

- Average life expectancy: 71.4 years (4.1 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #74
--- Length of life rank: #74
--- Quality of life rank: #64

#2. Seminole County

- Average life expectancy: 71 years (4.5 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #70
--- Length of life rank: #73
--- Quality of life rank: #61

#1. Okfuskee County

- Average life expectancy: 69.2 years (6.3 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #76
--- Length of life rank: #76
--- Quality of life rank: #65

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