Years of potential life lost
Years of life lost before age 75, per 100,000 people. A death at 25 counts as fifty years lost and a death at 70 as five, so earlier deaths count for more.
Reported for2,897areas, in 50 states — none in CT, PR
Link to density0.22not mostly about how urban a place is
Nearby places alike0.49Moran’s I: strongly, neighbouring places tend to be similar
Typerateper 100,000 under 75
How it has moved
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Every state, every year
One row per state and one column per year, sorted by the latest value. It shows states, not counties: nobody can scan 3,222 rows, and the pattern only shows when it all fits on one screen.
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Where it comes from
County Health Rankings · County Health Rankings v001
University of Wisconsin · 13 releases, 2013–2025; each value filed under the last year its data covers, 2010–2023 · 95% likely ranges, converted to 90%; figures based on small counts are withheld
Years of life lost to deaths before age 75, per 100,000 people. Adjusted so places with older or younger populations can be compared fairly. Source: County Health Rankings, which compiles each measure from its own source and filed here under the last year of the period it covers.
Combining areas: an average weighted by population.
What it goes with
The strongest links that have a page of their own. Unadjusted is the link before adjusting for anything, from −1 (opposite) to +1 (in step). Adjusted compares places with the same population density, income and education levels, so those differences can’t explain the link. This list leaves out the 3 pairs built from the same numbers or the same model as this measure, since they are bound to match.
| Measure | Unadjusted | Adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Years of potential life lost and Safety scoreWhere Years of potential life lost is higher, Safety score tends to be lower: a strong link that holds when only places with similar density, income and education are compared, and inside states as well. Safety score by US county | -0.85 | -0.75 |
| Years of potential life lost and Share American Indian or Alaska Native, not HispanicWhere Years of potential life lost is higher, Share American Indian or Alaska Native, not Hispanic tends to be higher: a moderate link that holds when only places with similar density, income and education are compared, and inside states as well. Share American Indian or Alaska Native, not Hispanic by US county | +0.63 | +0.70 |
| Years of potential life lost and Homicide rate, annualWhere Years of potential life lost is higher, Homicide rate, annual tends to be higher: a moderate link that holds when only places with similar density, income and education are compared. Homicide rate, annual by US county | +0.78 | +0.67 |
| Years of potential life lost and Injury deathsWhere Years of potential life lost is higher, Injury deaths tends to be higher: a moderate link that holds when only places with similar density, income and education are compared, and inside states as well. Injury deaths by US county | +0.74 | +0.65 |
| Years of potential life lost and Child mortalityWhere Years of potential life lost is higher, Child mortality tends to be higher: a moderate link that holds when only places with similar density, income and education are compared, and inside states as well. Child mortality by US county | +0.77 | +0.61 |
| Years of potential life lost and Homicide rateWhere Years of potential life lost is higher, Homicide rate tends to be higher: a moderate link that holds when only places with similar density, income and education are compared, and inside states as well. Homicide rate by US county | +0.71 | +0.61 |
| Years of potential life lost and Threat of utility shut-offWhere Years of potential life lost is higher, Threat of utility shut-off tends to be higher: a moderate link that holds when only places with similar density, income and education are compared, and inside states as well. Threat of utility shut-off by US county | +0.78 | +0.59 |
| Years of potential life lost and Lack of reliable transportationWhere Years of potential life lost is higher, Lack of reliable transportation tends to be higher: a moderate link that holds when only places with similar density, income and education are compared, and inside states as well. Lack of reliable transportation by US county | +0.78 | +0.59 |
| Years of potential life lost and Independent-living disabilityWhere Years of potential life lost is higher, Independent-living disability tends to be higher: a moderate link that holds when only places with similar density, income and education are compared, and inside states as well. Independent-living disability by US county | +0.79 | +0.58 |
| Years of potential life lost and StrokeWhere Years of potential life lost is higher, Stroke tends to be higher: a moderate link that holds when only places with similar density, income and education are compared, and inside states as well. Stroke by US county | +0.78 | +0.58 |
Population makeup
How this measure varies with the racial and ethnic makeup of counties. Every group is shown, whatever its rank. These are links across counties: they describe places, not people. They say nothing about any person’s risk or behaviour based on their race. Counties with a larger share of one group also differ in much else, such as income, segregation, region and history. The adjusted figure only accounts for density, income and education.
| Share of residents | Unadjusted | Adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Years of potential life lost and Share White, not HispanicWhere Years of potential life lost is higher, Share White, not Hispanic tends to be lower: a weak link that holds when only places with similar density, income and education are compared, and inside states as well. Share White, not Hispanic by US county | -0.31 | -0.37 |
| Years of potential life lost and Share Black, not HispanicWhere Years of potential life lost is higher, Share Black, not Hispanic tends to be higher: a weak link that holds when only places with similar density, income and education are compared, and inside states as well. Share Black, not Hispanic by US county | +0.47 | +0.37 |
| Years of potential life lost and Share Hispanic or Latino, any raceCould easily be chance once only places with similar density, income and education are compared. Share Hispanic or Latino, any race by US county | -0.06 | -0.03 |
| Years of potential life lost and Share Asian, not HispanicCould easily be chance once only places with similar density, income and education are compared. Share Asian, not Hispanic by US county | -0.30 | +0.08 |
| Years of potential life lost and Share American Indian or Alaska Native, not HispanicWhere Years of potential life lost is higher, Share American Indian or Alaska Native, not Hispanic tends to be higher: a moderate link that holds when only places with similar density, income and education are compared, and inside states as well. Share American Indian or Alaska Native, not Hispanic by US county | +0.63 | +0.70 |
Highest and lowest
Of 2,897 counties reporting it. These are the two ends of a national ranking. For most measures, that ranking mostly sorts places by income and how urban they are. That is why the place pages compare each place with similar places instead.
Highest
- Buffalo County, SD — 46,418
- Dewey County, SD — 41,916
- Oglala Lakota County, SD — 40,417
- Corson County, SD — 37,698
- Sioux County, ND — 35,129
Lowest
- San Juan County, WA — 3,315
- Loudoun County, VA — 3,355
- Pitkin County, CO — 3,488
- Arlington County, VA — 3,513
- Los Alamos County, NM — 3,583
The middle area reports 9,938. The middle half of counties falls between 7,887 and 12,479 (the 25th to 75th percentile).
All measures · Explore its pairs · How the US county data works