Skip directly to searchSkip directly to the site navigationSkip directly to the page's main content

Essex County Public Health Profile Report

Average Age at Death: Average age at death (years), 2021

  • Essex
    70.3
    95% Confidence Interval (69.8 - 70.7)
    State
    74.2
    U.S.NA
    NA=Data not available.
  • Essex Compared to State

    gauge ranking
    Description of Gauge

    Description of the Gauge

    This graphic is based on the county data to the left. It compares the county value of this indicator to the state overall value.
    • Excellent = The county's value on this indicator is BETTER than the state value, and the difference IS statistically significant.
    • Watch = The county's value is BETTER than state value, but the difference IS NOT statistically significant.
    • Improvement Needed = The county's value on this indicator is WORSE than the state value, but the difference IS NOT statistically significant.
    • Reason for Concern = The county's value on this indicator is WORSE than the state value, and the difference IS statistically significant.

    The county value is considered statistically significantly different from the state value if the state value is outside the range of the county's 95% confidence interval. If the county's data or 95% confidence interval information is not available, a blank gauge image will be displayed with the message, "missing information."
    NOTE: The labels used on the gauge graphic are meant to describe the county's status in plain language. The placement of the gauge needle is based solely on the statistical difference between the county and state values. When selecting priority health issues to work on, a county should take into account additional factors such as how much improvement could be made, the U.S. value, the statistical stability of the county number, the severity of the health condition, and whether the difference is clinically significant.

Why Is This Important?

Average age at death can be used as an easier-to-calculate proxy for life expectancy.

How Are We Doing?

Average age at death is highest among Whites, followed, in order, by Asians, Blacks, and Hispanics. (Note that this may be due, in part, to the underlying age composition of each racial/ethnic group.) The average age at death among females is 7 years higher than among males. Among all causes of death, Alzheimer's disease has the highest average age (87.7 years). Unintentional injury has the lowest average age (52.0) among the ten leading causes of death. Deaths due to non-chronic conditions generally have much lower average ages at death than deaths due to chronic conditions.

Note

Average age at death does not take into account the average age of the corresponding population. This can bias results in demographic groups whose age composition varies greatly from that of the overall population. 

Data Sources

Death Certificate Database, Office of Vital Statistics and Registry, New Jersey Department of Health  

Measure Description for Average Age at Death

Definition: The arithmetic mean age, in years, at which a group of persons died
Numerator: The sum of ages at death among decedents in a given time period
Denominator: Total number of decedents in that time period

Indicator Profile Report

Average Age at Death (exits this report)

Date Content Last Updated

07/28/2023
The information provided above is from the Department of Health's NJSHAD web site (https://nj.gov/health/shad). The information published on this website may be reproduced without permission. Please use the following citation: " Retrieved Thu, 28 March 2024 10:14:29 from Department of Health, New Jersey State Health Assessment Data Web site: https://nj.gov/health/shad ".

Content updated: no date