As of 2020, the gap in life expectancy between Black and white Chicagoans was ten years, up from 8.8 years in 2017.Other key life expectancy findings from CDPH include: That’s why my administration and our partners remain laser-focused on equitable investments and policy changes that will promote health and wellness to help all our communities thrive.”

“Without formally acknowledging this detrimental impact, and its roots in structural racism, we will never be able to move forward as a city. “COVID has taken a terrible toll on the health and wellbeing of our city’s residents particularly those who are Black and Latinx,” said Mayor Lightfoot. Life expectancy declines were seen in all races and nearly all community areas. The city also saw higher than expected increases in deaths from accidents (overdoses, car crashes) and homicides.

However, the virus was only the second leading cause of death in 2020 – behind heart disease, which also increased along with other chronic diseases like diabetes. COVID-19 deaths were a significant driver of this trend. This finding represents one of the sharpest single-year decreases in life expectancy on record, and the steepest declines were for Black and Latinx Chicagoans. Lightfoot, Commissioner of Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) Allison Arwady M.D., and community leaders today announced an update on life expectancy in Chicago during the pandemic’s first year. In line with national trends, life expectancy in Chicago dropped almost two years from 2019 to 2020, the first year of the pandemic, CDPH reported today.

Average life expectancy in us 2022