Colorado ranks 12th in life expectancy

Colorado has the 12th-highest life expectancy in the U.S., according to a CDC national vital statistics report released late last month.

• The life expectancy for Coloradans was 78.3 years — higher than the national rate of 77 years.

Yes, but: Colorado's rate declined by 1.7 years between 2019 and 2020 amid the COVID health crisis.

The big picture: Nationwide, life expectancy declined by 1.8 years due to the pandemic and the increase of unintentional injuries, such as overdoses — many fueled by fentanyl.

• Overdose deaths related to opioids in Denver surged more than 300% between 2019 and 2021.

Zoom in: There was a five-year gap among Colorado women (80.9) and men (75.8).

• Both Colorado men and women ranked 11th nationally.

Zoom out: Hawaii had the highest rate in the U.S., with a life expectancy of 80.7 years, compared to Mississippi which ranked last at 71.9 years.

• Western states like California (79 years), Washington (79.2), Oregon (78.8) and Utah (78.6) outranked Colorado.

Explore the interactive map