Complete Health Indicator Report of Average Age at Death
Definition
The arithmetic mean age, in years, at which a group of persons diedNumerator
The sum of ages at death among decedents in a given time periodDenominator
Total number of decedents in that time periodData Interpretation Issues
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.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 among New Jersey residents has been slowly increasing, up 1.6 years between 2000 and 2019. 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 (87.6 years). Unintentional injury has the lowest average age (51.9) 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.Related Indicators
Related Health Status Outcomes Indicators:
Data Tables
Average Age at Death, New Jersey, 2000-2019
| Year | Average age at death (years) | Lower Limit | Upper Limit | Numer- ator | Denom- inator | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Record Count: 20 | ||||||
| 2000 | 73.5 | 73.4 | 73.7 | 5,505,471 | 74,870 | |
| 2001 | 73.2 | 73.1 | 73.4 | 5,474,297 | 74,755 | |
| 2002 | 73.7 | 73.6 | 73.8 | 5,458,447 | 74,051 | |
| 2003 | 73.8 | 73.7 | 74.0 | 5,448,577 | 73,777 | |
| 2004 | 73.8 | 73.7 | 74.0 | 5,274,542 | 71,455 | |
| 2005 | 74.1 | 74.0 | 74.3 | 5,336,762 | 71,997 | |
| 2006 | 73.7 | 73.6 | 73.9 | 5,190,503 | 70,404 | |
| 2007 | 74.3 | 74.2 | 74.4 | 5,181,571 | 69,724 | |
| 2008 | 74.5 | 74.4 | 74.6 | 5,221,376 | 70,069 | |
| 2009 | 74.6 | 74.4 | 74.7 | 5,101,486 | 68,396 | |
| 2010 | 74.9 | 74.8 | 75.0 | 5,212,114 | 69,594 | |
| 2011 | 74.8 | 74.6 | 74.9 | 5,283,006 | 70,649 | |
| 2012 | 75.1 | 75.0 | 75.2 | 5,298,258 | 70,556 | |
| 2013 | 75.2 | 75.0 | 75.3 | 5,369,645 | 71,439 | |
| 2014 | 75.1 | 75.0 | 75.3 | 5,361,292 | 71,364 | |
| 2015 | 75.2 | 75.1 | 75.4 | 5,441,788 | 72,328 | |
| 2016 | 74.8 | 74.7 | 74.9 | 5,476,835 | 73,214 | |
| 2017 | 74.9 | 74.7 | 75.0 | 5,606,247 | 74,881 | |
| 2018 | 75.0 | 74.9 | 75.1 | 5,685,038 | 75,802 | |
| 2019 | 75.1 | 75.0 | 75.2 | 5,638,235 | 75,069 | |
Data Source
Death Certificate Database, Office of Vital Statistics and Registry, New Jersey Department of HealthAverage Age at Death, by Demographic Characteristics, New Jersey, 2019
| Demographic Characteristics | Average age at death (years) | Lower Limit | Upper Limit | Numer- ator | Denom- inator | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Record Count: 10 | ||||||
| Total | 75.1 | 75.0 | 75.2 | 5,638,235 | 75,069 | |
| Male | 71.6 | 71.4 | 71.8 | 2,664,560 | 37,225 | |
| Female | 78.6 | 78.4 | 78.7 | 2,973,675 | 37,844 | |
| White | 77.6 | 77.4 | 77.7 | 4,310,416 | 55,573 | |
| Black | 67.9 | 67.5 | 68.3 | 656,425 | 9,666 | |
| Hispanic | 66.5 | 66.0 | 67.1 | 410,496 | 6,171 | |
| Asian | 73.3 | 72.6 | 74.0 | 174,295 | 2,378 | |
| U.S.-born | 75.0 | 74.8 | 75.1 | 4,506,419 | 60,117 | |
| U.S. territory-born | 73.7 | 73.0 | 74.4 | 129,941 | 1,763 | |
| Foreign-born | 76.2 | 75.9 | 76.5 | 963,378 | 12,644 | |
Data Source
Death Certificate Database, Office of Vital Statistics and Registry, New Jersey Department of HealthAverage Age at Death by Race/Ethnicity, New Jersey, 2019
| Race/Ethnicity | Average age at death (years) | Lower Limit | Upper Limit | Numer- ator | Denom- inator | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Record Count: 5 | ||||||
| White | 77.6 | 77.4 | 77.7 | 4,310,416 | 55,573 | |
| Black | 67.9 | 67.5 | 68.3 | 656,425 | 9,666 | |
| Hispanic | 66.5 | 66.0 | 67.1 | 410,496 | 6,171 | |
| Asian | 73.3 | 72.6 | 74.0 | 174,295 | 2,378 | |
| New Jersey | 75.1 | 75.0 | 75.2 | 5,638,235 | 75,069 | |
Data Source
Death Certificate Database, Office of Vital Statistics and Registry, New Jersey Department of HealthAverage Age at Death, by Leading Causes of Death, New Jersey, 2019
| Cause of Death | Average age at death (years) | Lower Limit | Upper Limit | Numer- ator | Denom- inator | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Record Count: 10 | ||||||
| Heart Disease | 80.0 | 79.8 | 80.2 | 1,498,509 | 18,725 | |
| Cancer | 72.7 | 72.5 | 72.9 | 1,142,153 | 15,704 | |
| Unintentional Injury | 51.9 | 51.3 | 52.5 | 241,632 | 4,657 | |
| Stroke | 80.0 | 79.5 | 80.4 | 284,205 | 3,553 | |
| CLRD | 78.8 | 78.4 | 79.3 | 240,886 | 3,055 | |
| Alzheimer's Disease | 87.6 | 87.3 | 87.9 | 230,652 | 2,633 | |
| Septicemia | 77.0 | 76.4 | 77.6 | 152,700 | 1,983 | |
| Diabetes | 73.3 | 72.7 | 73.9 | 141,722 | 1,934 | |
| Kidney Disease | 78.8 | 78.2 | 79.4 | 127,819 | 1,622 | |
| Influenza and Pneumonia | 79.2 | 78.3 | 80.0 | 100,528 | 1,270 | |
Data Notes
CLRD=Chronic Lower Respiratory DiseasesData Source
Death Certificate Database, Office of Vital Statistics and Registry, New Jersey Department of HealthAverage Age at Death, by Causes with Average Age of Death < 75 Years, New Jersey, 2019
| Causes of Death | Average age at death (years) | Lower Limit | Upper Limit | Numer- ator | Denom- inator | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Record Count: 12 | ||||||
| Birth Defects | 27.8 | 23.8 | 31.9 | 5,706 | 205 | |
| Homicide | 33.5 | 31.6 | 35.4 | 9,612 | 287 | |
| Suicide | 48.1 | 46.8 | 49.4 | 36,641 | 762 | |
| Unintentional Injuries | 51.9 | 51.3 | 52.5 | 241,632 | 4,657 | |
| HIV Disease | 56.2 | 54.3 | 58.1 | 10,285 | 183 | |
| Chronic Liver Disease & Cirrhosis | 62.0 | 61.0 | 62.8 | 52,906 | 854 | |
| Viral Hepatitis | 64.8 | 62.0 | 67.5 | 5,115 | 79 | |
| Medical/surgical complications | 70.5 | 67.1 | 73.9 | 9,731 | 138 | |
| Cancer | 72.7 | 72.5 | 72.9 | 1,142,153 | 15,704 | |
| Diabetes | 73.3 | 72.7 | 73.9 | 141,722 | 1,934 | |
| Aortic Aneurysm and Dissection | 74.4 | 72.7 | 76.2 | 19,427 | 261 | |
Data Source
Death Certificate Database, Office of Vital Statistics and Registry, New Jersey Department of HealthAverage Age at Death by County, New Jersey, 2019
| County | Average age at death (years) | Lower Limit | Upper Limit | Numer- ator | Denom- inator | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Record Count: 22 | ||||||
| Atlantic | 73.3 | 72.7 | 74.0 | 208,003 | 2,836 | |
| Bergen | 78.5 | 78.1 | 78.9 | 583,232 | 7,429 | |
| Burlington | 75.4 | 74.8 | 75.9 | 313,785 | 4,163 | |
| Camden | 72.7 | 72.1 | 73.2 | 360,429 | 4,960 | |
| Cape May | 76.0 | 75.2 | 76.9 | 99,445 | 1,308 | |
| Cumberland | 72.4 | 71.5 | 73.3 | 117,626 | 1,625 | |
| Essex | 71.7 | 71.2 | 72.2 | 426,985 | 5,957 | |
| Gloucester | 73.1 | 72.4 | 73.8 | 203,738 | 2,787 | |
| Hudson | 72.1 | 71.5 | 72.7 | 269,139 | 3,733 | |
| Hunterdon | 76.3 | 75.2 | 77.4 | 70,927 | 930 | |
| Mercer | 74.4 | 73.8 | 75.1 | 221,096 | 2,970 | |
| Middlesex | 75.6 | 75.2 | 76.0 | 455,061 | 6,020 | |
| Monmouth | 76.6 | 76.2 | 77.0 | 431,580 | 5,633 | |
| Morris | 78.2 | 77.7 | 78.7 | 307,267 | 3,930 | |
| Ocean | 77.0 | 76.6 | 77.4 | 568,744 | 7,386 | |
| Passaic | 74.0 | 73.4 | 74.5 | 281,045 | 3,800 | |
| Salem | 70.6 | 69.2 | 71.9 | 53,547 | 759 | |
| Somerset | 78.0 | 77.3 | 78.6 | 196,087 | 2,514 | |
| Sussex | 73.1 | 72.1 | 74.0 | 95,794 | 1,311 | |
| Union | 74.5 | 73.9 | 75.0 | 296,414 | 3,981 | |
| Warren | 75.5 | 74.6 | 76.5 | 78,027 | 1,033 | |
| New Jersey | 75.1 | 75.0 | 75.2 | 5,638,235 | 75,069 | |
Data Source
Death Certificate Database, Office of Vital Statistics and Registry, New Jersey Department of Health
Page Content Updated On 08/13/2021,
Published on 08/13/2021
