Health

Health covers both the state of physical, mental, and social well-being of Americans, as well as access to healthcare. Healthcare accounts for nearly 20% of the US economy.

Latest update on January 11, 2023
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What is the current state of health and healthcare in the US?

There are many ways to measure the state of health and healthcare in the US: life expectancy, top causes of death, percent of Americans with health insurance, health risk factors, and more. This page showcases some of these measures to answer fundamental questions and directs you to data to develop an understanding of how healthy Americans are.

Death rate

In 2022, the age-adjusted death rate in the US was 833.6 deaths per 100,000 people. That is 13.8% higher than in 2012, a decade before.

After decades of decline, the death rate spiked during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is the primary federal agency tracking deaths nationwide. It maintains the National Vital Statistics System, which gathers death information from every state. The death rate, also known as mortality rate, is determined using this data in combination with population data.

A simple per capita calculation — called the crude death rate — doesn't account for differences of population over time, geography, or demographic. For example, an area where more than 50% of the population is over 65 is expected to have a higher crude death rate than a place where 10% of the population is 65 or older. Age-adjusted death rates allow for comparison between two populations with different age makeups.

Despite these adjustments, there are differences in age-adjusted death rates by geography. Data from 2022, the latest year available, is provisional and subject to change.

Life expectancy at birth

In 2022, a newborn in the US was expected to live 77.5 years.

Life expectancy is a projection estimating the average age of death for people born today. The calculation uses data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The data can be a way to assess the impact of active health issues such as overdose deaths and COVID-19.

Percent of uninsured population by state

In 2021, 8.6% of people in the US had no health insurance. Texas had the highest percentage of uninsured people at 18%.

The share of the uninsured population dropped following the passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2010.

Health insurance in the US is available through various avenues. The primary way Americans get insurance is privately through employers. Publicly funded options include Medicare (primarily for people 65 and older), Medicaid (for low-income individuals), and plans available for active-duty military members and veterans. The Affordable Care Act expanded access to Medicaid and established an online marketplace where people could buy private coverage.

Data from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey shows that the decrease occurred in every state, though some states had larger changes than others.

Health insurance coverage by race & ethnicity

In 2021, 19.6% of people who identify as American Indian and Alaska Native alone had no health insurance.

Data from the Census Bureau shows gaps in health insurance coverage by race and ethnicity. The non-Hispanic white population is less likely to lack insurance than other racial or ethnic groups.

Government spending

In fiscal year 2020, governments spent a combined total of $347 billion on health (excluding insurance programs like Medicare and Medicaid.)

That comes out to $1,043 per person.

USAFacts categorizes government budget data to allocate spending appropriately, and to arrive at the estimate presented here. The health-related spending shown covers public health, hospitals, and other medical services. It does not include spending on government-run health insurance programs such as Medicare or Medicaid. In 2020, public health spending increased due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This included testing and vaccination for the virus.

Government revenue and expenditures are based on data from the Office of Management and Budget, the Census Bureau, and the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Each is published annually, although due to collection times, state and local government data are not as current as federal data. Thus, when combining federal, state, and local revenues and expenditures, the most recent year for a combined number may be delayed.

Agencies and elected officials

Focus
Key actors
Responsibilities

Public health

Surgeon General, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration, Department of Agriculture

Promote good health; provide grants to states

Research and development

National Institutes of Health

Fund and directly conduct scientific research

Hospitals and emergency care

Department of Veterans Affairs, military hospitals

Provide health services and hospital care to veterans and service members

Health insurance

Department of Health and Human Services

Operate federal health insurance exchanges; regulate the health insurance market

Focus

Public health

Research and development

Hospitals and emergency care

Health insurance

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