Health Department Annual Statistics Show Increased Life Expectancy for New Yorkers, but Racial Inequities Remain

Health Department Annual Statistics Show Increased Life Expectancy for New Yorkers, but Racial Inequities Remain

Newly Released Data Reveals 2023 Life Expectancy Grew by 1.1 Years Citywide, but Black New Yorkers' Levels Remain Concerningly Lower Than Other Racial and Ethnic Groups

Drug-Related Death Rate For 55- To 64-Year-Olds Higher Than Other Age Groups

December 30, 2025 - The New York City Health Department released today its Annual Summary of Vital Statistics for 2023, which shows that citywide life expectancy rose that year to 82.6 years, an increase of 1.1 years over 2022. Though the data indicate strides forward for New Yorkers' health, lower life expectancy among Black New Yorkers remains an area of concern. Black New Yorkers had the lowest life expectancy among racial or ethnic groups at 78.3 years, while life expectancy among white New Yorkers was 83.3 years. Inequities that worsened due to the COVID pandemic have improved, but the gap between groups is still greater than it was in 2019.

The 2023 Annual Summary represents finalized data, whereas the NYC Health Department released 2024 provisional data as part of its HealthyNYC initiative, showing the city reached its life expectancy goal of 83.2 years in 2024. Final 2024 data will be released in 2026.

"The Health Department's annual vital statistics contain a wealth of information on major drivers of New York City's health, and we use the data to inform our programs and policies to promote and protect the health of all New Yorkers," said Acting Health Commissioner Dr. Michelle Morse. "The 2023 data show meaningful progress, but the data also affirm that structural racism, classism, gender inequity, and numerous other factors shape health outcomes across our city. The Health Department is committed to strengthening the agency's ability to use data to identify, understand, and address health inequities in New York City."

Additional 2023 Vital Statistics Highlights

Life Expectancy

• Life expectancy for Latino New Yorkers in 2023 was 82.8 years.
• In 2023, life expectancy for Asian and Pacific Islander New Yorkers exceeded all other race/ethnicity groups, at 86.9 years.

Premature Mortality (death before age 65)

• The citywide age-adjusted premature death rate decreased by 5 percent from 220.3 per 100,000 population in 2022, to 209.2 in 2023. This is still higher than the 2019 rate of 180.2.

Mortality

• The COVID-19 age-adjusted death rate decreased substantially, from 40.5 deaths per 100,000 population in 2022 to 7.7 in 2023.
• The age-adjusted death rate also decreased to 529.8 per 100,000 population in 2023, down from 579.2 in 2022. However, the rate is still higher than the 2019 rate of 512.7 per 100,000 population.
• The unintentional drug overdose crude (not age-adjusted) rate slightly increased in 2023, with a 0.5 percent increase from 2022. The drug-related death rate was highest among Black New Yorkers.

Birth and Infancy

• The New York City's birth rate was 11.9 births per 1,000 population in 2023, which remained the same since 2022.
• The infant mortality rate was 4.2 infant deaths per 1,000 live births in 2023, a 2.3 percent decrease from 2022. The rate for Black New Yorkers was 3.8 times the rate for white New Yorkers. The rate may vary from year to year due to small numbers.

About the Annual Summary

The Annual Summary of Vital Statistics provides an overview of birth and death events in New York City. Its tables, graphs, and figures present health statistics according to racial and ethnic group, sex, age, community district, and borough of residence. Data are derived from vital event certificates filed with the Bureau of Vital Statistics. Summaries dating to 1930 are available on the Health Department's website.

These data inform the Health Department's programmatic priorities and illuminate the long-term impact of structural racism, particularly for Black New Yorkers.

Why Is This Data from 2023?

Data in the 2023 Annual Summary are finalized. Some 2024 data are publicly available, but it is provisional, meaning that the numbers may change as the Health Department processes and finalizes the data.

Progress Since 2023

In 2023, the Health Department launched the HealthyNYC campaign to improve and extend New Yorkers' lifespan to 83 years by 2030. Since that time, provisional data show that the citysurpassed its life expectancy milestone five years ahead of schedule, making major progress in reducing COVID-19 deaths and overdose deaths, among other achievements. HealthyNYC sets ambitious targets to address the greatest drivers of overall deaths, excess deaths, premature death, and extreme racial inequities, including chronic and diet-related diseases, screenable cancers, overdose, suicide, maternal mortality, violence, and COVID-19.

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