What Does Hawaii & Mississippi Have In Common? Nothing When It Comes To Life Expectancy

Residents of Connecticut and Oklahoma had the same life expectancy in 1960. By 2023 Connecticut’s life expectancy was 78.4 years while an Oklahoman was 74.1. That is a 4.3-year difference. How come?

The Population Reference Bureau (PRB), a Washington think tank, believes much of the difference is because of government policy in the individual states. For example, a state that has expanded the availability of healthcare to their residents has a higher life expectancy rate. In America…