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 2021 could expect to live 82.7 years. Females could expect to live 86.3 years. This is slightly higher than national life expectancy at birth. The ACT has the highest life expectancy, for both males and females, of any other jurisdiction.
Over time, life expectancy at birth has improved 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 2018 to 2021. In 2021:
- female residents had a life expectancy of 86.3 years compared to 85.9 years in 2020.
- male residents had a life expectancy of 82.7 years compared to 82.1 years in 2020.
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.
