EU Life Expectancy Rises to 81.4 Years, Surpassing Pre-Pandemic Levels

Life expectancy in the European Union reached 81.4 years in 2023, marking an increase of 0.8 years from 2022 and surpassing pre-COVID-19 levels. This is the highest recorded figure since 2002, reflecting a total increase of 3.8 years over the past two decades, according to new data from Eurostat.

The EU region with the highest life expectancy at birth was Comunidad de Madrid in Spain, where residents are expected to live an average of 86.1 years. Other top-ranking regions include Italy’s Provincia Autonoma di Trento (85.1 years) and Finland’s Åland (85.1 years).

In contrast, the lowest life expectancy figures were recorded in three Bulgarian regions—Severozapaden (73.9 years), Severen tsentralen (75.2 years), and Yugoiztochen (75.1 years). Hungary’s Észak-Magyarország and France’s Mayotte also ranked among the lowest, both at 74.9 years.

Women in the EU continue to outlive men by an average of 5.3 years. In 2023, life expectancy for women reached 84.0 years, while for men, it stood at 78.7 years. The gender gap was widest in Latvia (10.1 years), Lithuania (9.0 years), and Estonia (8.8 years). The smallest differences were observed in the Netherlands (3.0 years), Sweden (3.3 years), and Luxembourg (3.3 years).

This data reflects an overall improvement in public health and healthcare systems across Europe, reinforcing long-term trends of increased longevity.