Samantha J. Darr // Shutterstock
1 / 50#49. Morgan County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 76.4 years
--- 1.6 years lower than the state average
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.
You may also like: Best counties to raise a family in Illinois
Tabitha L Jozwick // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Warren County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 76.4 years
--- 1.6 years lower than the state average
PICTOR PICTURES // Shutterstock
3 / 50#46. Henderson County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 76.3 years
--- 1.7 years lower than the state average
Eddie J. Rodriquez // Shutterstock
4 / 50#46. Marshall County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 76.3 years
--- 1.7 years lower than the state average
Canva
5 / 50#46. Randolph County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 76.3 years
--- 1.7 years lower than the state average
You may also like: Average Illinois mortgage debt increased to $197,904 in 2024
Gregory S. King // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Scott County
- Life expectancy: 76.2 years
--- 1.8 years lower than the state average
Canva
7 / 50#42. LaSalle County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 76.1 years
--- 1.9 years lower than the state average
Canva
8 / 50#42. Jackson County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 76.1 years
--- 1.9 years lower than the state average
Canva
9 / 50#42. Livingston County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 76.1 years
--- 1.9 years lower than the state average
Kristen Prahl // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Schuyler County
- Life expectancy: 76.0 years
--- 2.0 years lower than the state average
You may also like: Counties with the most veterans in Illinois
Canva
11 / 50#39. Macoupin County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 75.9 years
--- 2.1 years lower than the state average
Canva
12 / 50#39. Peoria County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 75.9 years
--- 2.1 years lower than the state average
Canva
13 / 50#37. Cass County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 75.8 years
--- 2.2 years lower than the state average
SevenMaps // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Perry County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 75.8 years
--- 2.2 years lower than the state average
Canva
15 / 50#35. Moultrie County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 75.7 years
--- 2.3 years lower than the state average
You may also like: How gas prices have changed in Illinois in the last week
Canva
16 / 50#35. Madison County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 75.7 years
--- 2.3 years lower than the state average
Canva
17 / 50#33. Christian County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 75.6 years
--- 2.4 years lower than the state average
Canva
18 / 50#33. Clark County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 75.6 years
--- 2.4 years lower than the state average
Canva
19 / 50#32. Knox County
- Life expectancy: 75.5 years
--- 2.5 years lower than the state average
Henryk Sadura // Shutterstock
20 / 50#30. Pike County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 75.4 years
--- 2.6 years lower than the state average
You may also like: Cities with the most UFO sightings in Illinois
Canva
21 / 50#30. Kankakee County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 75.4 years
--- 2.6 years lower than the state average
Canva
22 / 50#27. Fulton County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 75.3 years
--- 2.7 years lower than the state average
Canva
23 / 50#27. Winnebago County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 75.3 years
--- 2.7 years lower than the state average
Henryk Sadura // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Greene County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 75.3 years
--- 2.7 years lower than the state average
Canva
25 / 50#25. Jersey County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 75.2 years
--- 2.8 years lower than the state average
You may also like: Counties with the most pre-war homes in Illinois
Canva
26 / 50#25. Macon County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 75.2 years
--- 2.8 years lower than the state average
Canva
27 / 50#22. Edwards County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 75.1 years
--- 2.9 years lower than the state average
Canva
28 / 50#22. Wayne County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 75.1 years
--- 2.9 years lower than the state average
Canva
29 / 50#22. Ford County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 75.1 years
--- 2.9 years lower than the state average
Canva
30 / 50#19. Jefferson County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 75.0 years
--- 3.0 years lower than the state average
You may also like: The Brine Boom: Pickles are popping off in grocery aisles in Illinois
Canva
31 / 50#19. Richland County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 75.0 years
--- 3.0 years lower than the state average
Canva
32 / 50#19. Iroquois County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 75.0 years
--- 3.0 years lower than the state average
Canva
33 / 50#18. Lawrence County
- Life expectancy: 74.9 years
--- 3.1 years lower than the state average
Canva
34 / 50#16. Montgomery County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 74.8 years
--- 3.2 years lower than the state average
Canva
35 / 50#16. Edgar County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 74.8 years
--- 3.2 years lower than the state average
You may also like: Highest-rated Class of 2025 football recruits from Illinois
Canva
36 / 50#15. St. Clair County
- Life expectancy: 74.7 years
--- 3.3 years lower than the state average
Leigh Trail // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. DeWitt County
- Life expectancy: 74.6 years
--- 3.4 years lower than the state average
Canva
38 / 50#13. Stark County
- Life expectancy: 74.5 years
--- 3.5 years lower than the state average
Canva
39 / 50#12. Union County
- Life expectancy: 74.1 years
--- 3.9 years lower than the state average
Roberto Galan // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Massac County
- Life expectancy: 74.0 years
--- 4.0 years lower than the state average
You may also like: Best colleges in Illinois
Canva
41 / 50#10. White County
- Life expectancy: 73.9 years
--- 4.1 years lower than the state average
Canva
42 / 50#9. Mason County
- Life expectancy: 73.8 years
--- 4.2 years lower than the state average
Canva
43 / 50#8. Marion County
- Life expectancy: 73.4 years
--- 4.6 years lower than the state average
marythebarberphotos // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Franklin County
- Life expectancy: 73.3 years
--- 4.7 years lower than the state average
Roberto Galan // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Vermilion County
- Life expectancy: 73.2 years
--- 4.8 years lower than the state average
You may also like: Movies and TV shows casting in Illinois
Hank Shiffman // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Pulaski County
- Life expectancy: 73.0 years
--- 5.0 years lower than the state average
Canva
47 / 50#2. Gallatin County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 72.5 years
--- 5.5 years lower than the state average
Canva
48 / 50#2. Saline County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 72.5 years
--- 5.5 years lower than the state average
Canva
49 / 50#2. Hardin County (tie)
- Life expectancy: 72.5 years
--- 5.5 years lower than the state average
Roberto Galan // Shutterstock
50 / 50#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.
You may also like: Most commonly hunted migratory birds in Illinois
