Life expectancy
Life expectancy at birth is one of the most commonly used measures of overall health of a population. Examining causes, patterns and trends in death can also help explain differences and changes in the health of a population, contribute to the evaluation of health strategies and interventions, and guide planning and policy making.
Life expectancy at birth
This measure represents the average number of years a baby born today can expect to live with current mortality rates.
Measuring life expectancy at birth provides a snapshot of expected health status for different groups in the population. Life expectancy is influenced by our:
- living standards
- lifestyle
- nutrition
- access to health services.
Males born in the ACT in 2024 could expect to live an average of 82 years. Females could expect to live an average of 85.8 years. Life expectancy in the ACT is marginally higher than the national life expectancy at birth.
Life expectancy is similar across most jurisdictions, except for Northern Territory where the figures have remained lower (76.4 years for males and 80.4 years for females).
In recent years, life expectancy at birth has remained stable for males and females in the ACT and nationally.
Data source
Chart description
Line graph of average life expectancy at birth for male and female ACT residents, by year from 2019 to 2024. In 2024:
- female residents had a life expectancy of 85.8 years compared to 85.7 years in 2023
- male residents had a life expectancy of 82 years compared to 81.7 years in 2023.
Technical notes
This measure shows the average number of years a newborn baby could expect to live, assuming current age-specific mortality rates continue.
To learn more about how life expectancy is calculated in Australia, visit ABS page: Life tables methodology.
