US women lived an average of 81.4 years in 2024, yet heart disease killed 304,970 women in 2023 (about 1 in 5 female deaths), and an estimated 321,910 women will receive an invasive breast cancer diagnosis in 2026. The maternal mortality rate was 17.9 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2024 (44.8 for Black women), and births fell 1% to 3,606,400 in 2025.
Women’s Health in the US 2026
Women’s Health in the US 2026 show progress and gaps side by side. Female life expectancy reached 81.4 years in 2024, up 0.3 year, and the gap with men narrowed to 4.9 years. Breast cancer death rates keep falling, and teen birth rates hit record lows. Yet maternal deaths barely moved, Black women die in pregnancy and childbirth at 3 times the rate of White women, and heart disease still kills more women than any other cause. Most women do not know that last fact: only 56% recognize heart disease as their top killer.
This report covers life expectancy, cancer, heart disease, maternal health, menopause, mental health, and bone and chronic disease. Each table names its data period, because federal agencies publish on different calendars. The CDC’s 2024 mortality data are final, the 2025 birth data are provisional, and the bone density figures come from the latest national survey. Where sources disagree, the report says so.
Interesting Facts About Women’s Health in the US 2026
| Fact | Data (Period) |
|---|---|
| Female life expectancy at birth | 81.4 years (2024) |
| New cancer cases in women | 1,020,780 (2026 estimate) |
| Invasive breast cancer, new cases / deaths | 321,910 / 42,140 (2026 estimate) |
| Women who died of heart disease | 304,970 (2023), about 1 in 5 female deaths |
| Maternal mortality rate | 17.9 per 100,000 live births (2024) |
| Maternal mortality rate, Black women | 44.8 per 100,000 (2024) |
| Births in the US | 3,606,400 (2025 provisional), down 1% |
| Cesarean delivery rate | 32.5% (2025), highest since 2013 |
| Average age at menopause | 51 years |
| Osteoporosis, women 50 and older | 19.6% (2017 to 2018) |
| Obesity, women 20 and older | 41.3% (Aug 2021 to Aug 2023) |
The table mixes final data, estimates, and provisional counts. Cancer figures are forecasts from the American Cancer Society, so actual counts will differ. Life expectancy and heart disease figures are final CDC data. The 2025 birth numbers are provisional and may change slightly. Treat each row against its own date.
Read together, the facts show where women’s risk sits. Heart disease and cancer cause the most deaths, and both are largely preventable or treatable when found early. Pregnancy and childbirth carry a smaller but unequal risk. Bone loss and mental health round out the picture. No single number tells the story, which is why each section below pairs a chart with a table.
Women’s Life Expectancy & Leading Causes of Death in the US 2026
Life expectancy at birth, years (scale: 81.4 = 40 blocks)
Women, 2024 ████████████████████████████████████████ 81.4 yrs
Women, 2023 ████████████████████████████████████████ 81.1 yrs
All, 2024 ███████████████████████████████████████ 79.0 yrs
Men, 2024 ██████████████████████████████████████ 76.5 yrs
| Metric | Value (Period) |
|---|---|
| Female life expectancy at birth | 81.4 years (2024), up from 81.1 (2023) |
| Male life expectancy at birth | 76.5 years (2024) |
| Female advantage | 4.9 years (2023: 5.3) |
| Female life expectancy at age 65 | 20.8 more years (up 0.1) |
| US life expectancy, all | 79.0 years, an all-time high |
| Female deaths | 1,473,226 (2024) |
| Heart disease share of female deaths | 20.8% (male: 23.6%) |
| Top three causes of death for women | Heart disease, cancer, stroke |
| Women in fair or poor health | 15.5% (2024) |
Data source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, Data Brief No. 548 (January 29, 2026); National Vital Statistics Reports Vol. 75, No. 7 (September 22, 2026); FastStats Women’s Health.
Women live 4.9 years longer than men, and the gap narrowed by 0.4 year from 2023. Female life expectancy rose 0.3 year to 81.4. A 65-year-old woman can expect 20.8 more years. The CDC credits falling deaths from heart disease, cancer, COVID-19, unintentional injuries, and homicide for the national rise to 79.0 years. Age-adjusted death rates fell for each of the 10 leading causes in 2024.
Longer life does not mean healthier life. About 15.5% of women reported fair or poor health in 2024. Heart disease caused 20.8% of female deaths, and cancer and stroke followed. Suicide entered the top 10 causes of death overall in 2024. Women’s longer lives mean more years exposed to chronic disease, bone loss, and caregiving costs, so the later sections focus on conditions that rise with age.
Women’s Cancer Statistics in the US 2026
Estimated new cancer cases in women, 2026 (scale: 321,910 = 40 blocks)
Breast ████████████████████████████████████████ 321,910
Lung & bronchus ███████████████ 118,500
Colon & rectum █████████ 74,690
Uterine corpus ████████ 68,270
Melanoma of the skin ██████ 46,600
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma ████ 35,550
Pancreas ████ 32,340
| Cancer Site (Women) | New Cases (2026) | Deaths (2026) | 5-Year Survival |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breast (invasive) | 321,910 | 42,140 | 92% |
| Lung and bronchus | 118,500 | 61,950 | 28% |
| Colon and rectum | 74,690 | n/a | n/a |
| Uterine corpus | 68,270 | 14,450 | 81% |
| Cervix | 13,490 | 4,200 | 68% |
| Pancreas | 32,340 | 25,510 | n/a |
| All sites | 1,020,780 | n/a | n/a |
Data source: American Cancer Society, Cancer Statistics, 2026 (CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians), and Cancer Facts & Figures 2026; National Cancer Institute SEER Cancer Stat Facts.
Breast cancer drives women’s cancer burden. About 321,910 women will receive an invasive diagnosis in 2026, plus 60,730 cases of ductal carcinoma in situ. Breast cancer is nearly one third of all new cancers in women, and about 1 in 8 women (13.0%) will develop it in her lifetime. Incidence has risen about 1% a year, and cases grew from 310,720 in 2024 to 316,950 in 2025 and 321,910 in 2026. Deaths fell 1.2% a year from 2013 to 2022.
Lung cancer kills more women than any other cancer. It causes about 61,950 female deaths a year, 21% of cancer deaths in women, against 42,140 for breast cancer. Five-year survival tells the stage story: breast cancer survival is 92% overall and above 99% when found early, while lung cancer survival is 28% overall. Uterine cancer adds 68,270 new cases and 14,450 deaths, with incidence rising about 1.4% a year. Cervical cancer adds 13,490 cases and 4,200 deaths.
Heart Disease in Women Statistics in the US 2026
Women's deaths from heart disease (scale: 314,186 = 40 blocks)
2020 ████████████████████████████████████████ 314,186
2021 ████████████████████████████████████████ 310,661
2023 ███████████████████████████████████████ 304,970
| Metric | Value (Period) |
|---|---|
| Women who died of heart disease | 304,970 (2023) |
| Share of female deaths | About 1 in 5 (20.8% in 2024) |
| Women who died of heart disease, 2021 | 310,661 |
| Women who died of heart disease, 2020 | 314,186 |
| Women living with some form of heart disease | Over 60 million (44%) |
| Women with high blood pressure | 58.9 million (45.7%) |
| Women who know heart disease is their top killer | 56% |
| Heart disease share of male deaths (2024) | 23.6% |
| People who died of cardiovascular disease, all | 919,032 (2023) |
Data source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, About Women and Heart Disease (2026) and Heart Disease Facts; National Vital Statistics Reports Vol. 75, No. 7; Evernorth analysis of CDC data (2020 figure).
Heart disease deaths among women fell from 314,186 in 2020 to 304,970 in 2023, a drop of about 3%. CDC data summarized by Evernorth show the decline is slower than the drop for men. Heart disease caused 20.8% of female deaths in 2024, against 23.6% of male deaths, so the share is lower for women but the toll is still above 300,000 a year. Over 60 million women live with some form of the disease.
Blood pressure is the biggest lever. 58.9 million women, or 45.7%, have high blood pressure or take medicine for it, including almost 1 in 5 women of reproductive age. Awareness lags: only 56% of women name heart disease as their top killer. Researchers also note that widely used risk calculators do not include female-specific factors. Both gaps leave room for earlier screening and better awareness.
Maternal Health & Birth Statistics in the US 2026
Maternal mortality rate by race, 2024, per 100,000 live births (scale: 44.8 = 40 blocks)
Black women ████████████████████████████████████████ 44.8
Asian women ████████████████ 18.1
All women ████████████████ 17.9
White women █████████████ 14.2
Hispanic women ███████████ 12.1
| Metric | Value (Period) |
|---|---|
| Maternal mortality rate | 17.9 per 100,000 live births (2024); 18.6 (2023) |
| Maternal deaths | 649 (2024); 669 (2023) |
| Black women | 44.8 per 100,000 |
| Asian women | 18.1 per 100,000 |
| White women | 14.2 per 100,000 |
| Hispanic women | 12.1 per 100,000 |
| Age under 25 / 25 to 39 / 40 and older | 13.7 / 16.5 / 62.3 per 100,000 |
| Births | 3,606,400 (2025 provisional), down 1% |
| General fertility rate | 53.1 births per 1,000 women ages 15 to 44 (2025) |
| Total fertility rate | 1.599 births per woman (2024 final) |
| Cesarean rate / low-risk cesarean rate | 32.5% / 26.9% (2025) |
| Preterm birth rate | 10.41% (2025, unchanged) |
| Teen birth rate | 11.7 per 1,000 (2025), a record low |
Data source: National Center for Health Statistics, Health E-Stat 113, Maternal Mortality Rates in the United States, 2024 (March 2026); Births: Provisional Data for 2025 (April 9, 2026); National Vital Statistics Reports.
The maternal mortality rate fell from 18.6 to 17.9 per 100,000 live births in 2024, a change NCHS calls not statistically significant. 649 women died, down from 669. Disparities remain the central finding. Black women died at 44.8 per 100,000, about 3 times the 14.2 rate for White women and nearly 4 times the 12.1 rate for Hispanic women. Age matters too: women 40 and older faced 62.3 deaths per 100,000, nearly 5 times the 13.7 for women under 25.
Births keep falling. The 3,606,400 births in 2025 were 1% fewer than in 2024, and the general fertility rate dropped to 53.1. The cesarean rate rose to 32.5%, the highest since 2013, while the preterm rate held at 10.41%. Teen birth rates reached a record low of 11.7 per 1,000.
Menopause Statistics in the US 2026
Women reaching menopause each year, millions, by estimate (scale: 2.2 = 40 blocks)
Menopause Society estimate ████████████████████████ 1.3 million
6,000 per day, annualized ████████████████████████████████████████ 2.2 million
| Metric | Value (Period) |
|---|---|
| Average age at menopause | 51 years |
| Women reaching menopause per year | About 1.3 million (estimates run to 2.2 million) |
| Women reaching menopause per day | About 6,000 |
| Women ages 45 to 54 | About 20 million (12% of women) |
| Women with hot flashes or night sweats | About 75% to 81% |
| Typical duration of symptoms | 7.4 years |
| Women using hormone therapy | Estimated 1.8% to 5% |
| FDA label action on hormone therapy | November 10, 2025 |
| Average age of Women’s Health Initiative participants | 63 years |
| Typical age when symptoms start | 45 to 55 |
Data source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration (November 10, 2025); The Menopause Society; Milliman, Healthcare Cost and Utilization for Women in Menopause (2023); menopause data compiled in this site’s menopause report.
The average woman reaches menopause at 51, and about 6,000 women do so every day. The yearly total depends on the source: 1.3 million is the commonly cited Menopause Society figure, while 6,000 a day works out to about 2.2 million. Both agree on scale. About 20 million women are aged 45 to 54, the peak transition window, and roughly 75% to 81% of them have hot flashes. Symptoms last about 7.4 years on average, per Milliman’s analysis.
Treatment policy shifted in 2025. On November 10, 2025, the FDA asked manufacturers to change hormone therapy labels, a move clinicians describe as removing the boxed warnings in place since the early 2000s. The FDA noted that Women’s Health Initiative participants averaged 63 years, while symptoms usually start between 45 and 55. Use stays low, estimated at 1.8% to 5% of women.
Women’s Mental Health Statistics in the US 2026
Poor mental health days in the past 30 days, women, 2024 (scale: 8.3 = 40 blocks)
American Indian / Alaska Native ████████████████████████████████████████ 8.3 days
Black ███████████████████████████ 5.7 days
White ███████████████████████████ 5.7 days
All women ███████████████████████████ 5.6 days
Hispanic █████████████████████████ 5.2 days
Asian / Pacific Islander ██████████████████████ 4.5 days
| Metric | Value (Period) |
|---|---|
| Poor mental health days, all women | 5.6 per 30 days (2024) |
| Poor mental health days, American Indian / Alaska Native women | 8.3 (2024) |
| Past-year major depressive episode, adult women | 10.3% (2021) |
| Past-year major depressive episode, adult men | 6.2% (2021) |
| Depression, people 12 and older (two-week screen) | 13.1% (Aug 2021 to Aug 2023) |
| Women with any mental illness in the past year | 26.4% (2022) |
| Women receiving mental health treatment | 28.5% (2023) |
Data source: KFF analysis of CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data (2024); National Institute of Mental Health, NSDUH (2021); NCHS Data Brief No. 527 (April 2025); SAMHSA data compiled in this site’s women’s mental health report.
Women report more mental health distress than the headline rates suggest. The average woman reported 5.6 poor mental health days in a month in 2024, and American Indian and Alaska Native women reported 8.3, the highest of any group. In 2021, 10.3% of adult women had a major depressive episode, against 6.2% of men, a ratio of about 1.7 to 1. The CDC’s two-week screen found depression in 13.1% of people 12 and older, with higher rates among younger people and lower-income families.
Treatment lags behind need. About 26.4% of women had any mental illness in 2022, and only 28.5% received treatment in 2023. Perinatal depression, anxiety disorders, and trauma add to the burden.
Women’s Bone Health & Chronic Disease Statistics in the US 2026
Share of women with each condition, different age bands (scale: 51.5% = 40 blocks)
Low bone mass, women 50+ ████████████████████████████████████████ 51.5%
Hypertension, women ███████████████████████████████████ 45.7%
Obesity, women 20+ ████████████████████████████████ 41.3%
Osteoporosis, women 65+ █████████████████████ 27.1%
Osteoporosis, women 50+ ███████████████ 19.6%
Fair or poor health, women ████████████ 15.5%
| Metric | Women | Men / Comparison |
|---|---|---|
| Osteoporosis, ages 50 and older | 19.6% | 4.4% (2017 to 2018) |
| Osteoporosis, ages 65 and older | 27.1% | Ages 50 to 64: 13.1% |
| Low bone mass or osteoporosis, ages 50 and older | 51.5% | 33.5% |
| Share of osteoporosis cases that are women | Over 80% | Of about 10.2 million adults |
| Obesity, ages 20 and older | 41.3% | Aug 2021 to Aug 2023 |
| High blood pressure | 45.7% (58.9 million) | CDC, 130/80 threshold |
| Fair or poor health | 15.5% | 2024 |
Data source: National Center for Health Statistics, Data Brief No. 405 (March 2021) and FastStats, Osteoporosis and Women’s Health; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; International Osteoporosis Foundation.
Bone loss hits women far harder than men. About 19.6% of women 50 and older have osteoporosis, against 4.4% of men, and the rate climbs to 27.1% for women 65 and older. More than half of women 50 and older, 51.5%, have low bone mass or osteoporosis. Women account for over 80% of the roughly 10.2 million adults with the disease. These figures come from 2017 to 2018 survey data, the latest national bone density data NCHS has published.
Weight and blood pressure compound the risk. 41.3% of women 20 and older have obesity, and 45.7% have high blood pressure or take medicine for it. Both raise the odds of heart disease, diabetes, and several cancers, including uterine cancer. Postmenopausal women face the added pressure of falling estrogen, which speeds bone loss. Screening for bone density, blood pressure, and weight offers early, low-cost checks that sit within routine care.
Frequently Asked Questions About Women’s Health in the US 2026
What is the life expectancy of women in the US in 2026?
Female life expectancy at birth was 81.4 years in 2024, the latest final data. Men’s was 76.5 years, and the gap was 4.9 years.
What is the leading cause of death for women in the US?
Heart disease. It killed 304,970 women in 2023, about 1 in 5 female deaths, and caused 20.8% of female deaths in 2024. Cancer ranks second.
How many women will get breast cancer in 2026?
The American Cancer Society estimates 321,910 new cases of invasive breast cancer in women, plus 60,730 cases of ductal carcinoma in situ, and 42,140 breast cancer deaths.
What is the lifetime risk of breast cancer for women?
About 1 in 8 women, or 13.0%, will develop breast cancer in her lifetime.
Which cancer kills the most women?
Lung cancer, with an estimated 61,950 female deaths in 2026, about 21% of cancer deaths in women. Breast cancer is second at 42,140.
What is the maternal mortality rate in the US?
17.9 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2024, with 649 deaths. The 2023 rate was 18.6.
Why is the Black maternal mortality rate higher?
Black women died at 44.8 per 100,000 live births in 2024, about 3 times the White rate of 14.2. NCHS data show the gap, and the report does not assign a single cause.
How many babies were born in the US in 2025?
About 3,606,400 births, down 1% from 2024, based on provisional CDC data. The general fertility rate was 53.1 per 1,000 women ages 15 to 44.
What percentage of US births are cesarean?
32.5% in 2025, the highest since 2013. The low-risk cesarean rate was 26.9%.
At what age do women reach menopause?
The average age is 51. About 1.3 million women reach menopause each year, and about 6,000 do each day, depending on the estimate.
Did the FDA change menopause hormone therapy labels?
Yes. On November 10, 2025, the FDA requested labeling changes for menopausal hormone therapy that clarify benefits and risks, which clinicians describe as removing the boxed warnings.
How common is osteoporosis in women?
19.6% of women 50 and older have osteoporosis, against 4.4% of men, and 27.1% of women 65 and older. Women make up over 80% of cases.
How common is depression in women?
In 2021, 10.3% of adult women had a past-year major depressive episode, against 6.2% of men. The CDC’s two-week screen found depression in 13.1% of people 12 and older.
How many women have high blood pressure?
58.9 million women, or 45.7%, have high blood pressure or take blood pressure medicine, per CDC.
Disclaimer: The data research report we present here is based on information found from various sources. We are not liable for any financial loss, errors, or damages of any kind that may result from the use of the information herein. We acknowledge that though we try to report accurately, we cannot verify the absolute facts of everything that has been represented.
