Counties with the shortest life expectancy in Virginia

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

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 Virginia. 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. Warren County

- Average life expectancy: 76 years (3.1 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #57
--- Length of life rank: #80
--- Quality of life rank: #43

#49. Essex County

- Average life expectancy: 75.9 years (3.2 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #119
--- Length of life rank: #101
--- Quality of life rank: #129

#48. Newport News

- Average life expectancy: 75.7 years (3.4 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #84
--- Length of life rank: #84
--- Quality of life rank: #81

#47. Pittsylvania County

- Average life expectancy: 75.6 years (3.5 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #98
--- Length of life rank: #107
--- Quality of life rank: #85

#44. Russell County

- Average life expectancy: 75.5 years (3.6 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #101
--- Length of life rank: #96
--- Quality of life rank: #109

#44. Alleghany County

- Average life expectancy: 75.5 years (3.6 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #90
--- Length of life rank: #93
--- Quality of life rank: #86

#44. Waynesboro

- Average life expectancy: 75.5 years (3.6 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #81
--- Length of life rank: #86
--- Quality of life rank: #78

#43. Staunton

- Average life expectancy: 75.4 years (3.7 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #56
--- Length of life rank: #60
--- Quality of life rank: #52

#39. Accomack County

- Average life expectancy: 75.3 years (3.8 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #103
--- Length of life rank: #100
--- Quality of life rank: #108

#39. Scott County

- Average life expectancy: 75.3 years (3.8 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #89
--- Length of life rank: #98
--- Quality of life rank: #79

#39. Pulaski County

- Average life expectancy: 75.3 years (3.8 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #74
--- Length of life rank: #91
--- Quality of life rank: #71

#39. Lynchburg

- Average life expectancy: 75.3 years (3.8 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #73
--- Length of life rank: #90
--- Quality of life rank: #69

#37. Patrick County

- Average life expectancy: 75.2 years (3.9 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #95
--- Length of life rank: #102
--- Quality of life rank: #83

#37. Norfolk

- Average life expectancy: 75.2 years (3.9 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #93
--- Length of life rank: #92
--- Quality of life rank: #96

#36. Lunenburg County

- Average life expectancy: 75.1 years (4.0 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #122
--- Length of life rank: #104
--- Quality of life rank: #130

#34. Northampton County

- Average life expectancy: 75 years (4.1 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #105
--- Length of life rank: #112
--- Quality of life rank: #90

#34. Salem

- Average life expectancy: 75 years (4.1 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #48
--- Length of life rank: #66
--- Quality of life rank: #38

#31. Lancaster County

- Average life expectancy: 74.9 years (4.2 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #107
--- Length of life rank: #113
--- Quality of life rank: #91

#31. Buena Vista

- Average life expectancy: 74.9 years (4.2 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #99
--- Length of life rank: #76
--- Quality of life rank: #114

#31. Lexington

- Average life expectancy: 74.9 years (4.2 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #61
--- Length of life rank: #82
--- Quality of life rank: #48

#27. Halifax County

- Average life expectancy: 74.8 years (4.3 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #111
--- Length of life rank: #108
--- Quality of life rank: #110

#27. Mecklenburg County

- Average life expectancy: 74.8 years (4.3 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #108
--- Length of life rank: #106
--- Quality of life rank: #99

#27. Amelia County

- Average life expectancy: 74.8 years (4.3 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #87
--- Length of life rank: #105
--- Quality of life rank: #56

#27. Wythe County

- Average life expectancy: 74.8 years (4.3 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #86
--- Length of life rank: #94
--- Quality of life rank: #77

#26. Nottoway County

- Average life expectancy: 74.6 years (4.5 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #102
--- Length of life rank: #78
--- Quality of life rank: #117

#25. Sussex County

- Average life expectancy: 74.5 years (4.6 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #114
--- Length of life rank: #103
--- Quality of life rank: #118

#23. Charlotte County

- Average life expectancy: 74.4 years (4.7 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #118
--- Length of life rank: #111
--- Quality of life rank: #123

#23. Henry County

- Average life expectancy: 74.4 years (4.7 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #112
--- Length of life rank: #117
--- Quality of life rank: #107

#22. Bristol

- Average life expectancy: 74.2 years (4.9 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #104
--- Length of life rank: #110
--- Quality of life rank: #92

#19. Lee County

- Average life expectancy: 74 years (5.1 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #120
--- Length of life rank: #114
--- Quality of life rank: #124

#19. Greensville County

- Average life expectancy: 74 years (5.1 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #109
--- Length of life rank: #85
--- Quality of life rank: #119

#19. King and Queen County

- Average life expectancy: 74 years (5.1 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #106
--- Length of life rank: #118
--- Quality of life rank: #84

#17. Colonial Heights

- Average life expectancy: 73.7 years (5.4 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #97
--- Length of life rank: #119
--- Quality of life rank: #64

#17. Giles County

- Average life expectancy: 73.7 years (5.4 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #91
--- Length of life rank: #109
--- Quality of life rank: #70

#16. Buchanan County

- Average life expectancy: 73.5 years (5.6 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #123
--- Length of life rank: #116
--- Quality of life rank: #127

#15. Portsmouth

- Average life expectancy: 73.4 years (5.7 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #113
--- Length of life rank: #115
--- Quality of life rank: #113

#14. Smyth County

- Average life expectancy: 73 years (6.1 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #115
--- Length of life rank: #121
--- Quality of life rank: #105

#13. Roanoke

- Average life expectancy: 72.8 years (6.3 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #116
--- Length of life rank: #122
--- Quality of life rank: #103

#11. Wise County

- Average life expectancy: 72.7 years (6.4 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #121
--- Length of life rank: #120
--- Quality of life rank: #120

#11. Tazewell County

- Average life expectancy: 72.7 years (6.4 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #117
--- Length of life rank: #123
--- Quality of life rank: #102

#10. Dickenson County

- Average life expectancy: 72.6 years (6.5 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #125
--- Length of life rank: #124
--- Quality of life rank: #115

#9. Danville

- Average life expectancy: 71.4 years (7.7 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #127
--- Length of life rank: #125
--- Quality of life rank: #132

#8. Norton

- Average life expectancy: 71.3 years (7.8 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #124
--- Length of life rank: #126
--- Quality of life rank: #112

#7. Hopewell

- Average life expectancy: 70.2 years (8.9 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #131
--- Length of life rank: #128
--- Quality of life rank: #133

#6. Franklin

- Average life expectancy: 69.9 years (9.2 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #128
--- Length of life rank: #127
--- Quality of life rank: #126

#5. Covington

- Average life expectancy: 69.6 years (9.5 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #126
--- Length of life rank: #129
--- Quality of life rank: #106

#4. Emporia

- Average life expectancy: 68.1 years (11.0 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #132
--- Length of life rank: #132
--- Quality of life rank: #131

#3. Galax

- Average life expectancy: 67.3 years (11.8 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #130
--- Length of life rank: #130
--- Quality of life rank: #128

#2. Martinsville

- Average life expectancy: 67.2 years (11.9 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #129
--- Length of life rank: #131
--- Quality of life rank: #121

#1. Petersburg

- Average life expectancy: 66.2 years (12.9 less than the statewide average)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #133
--- Length of life rank: #133
--- Quality of life rank: #125

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