3302.0.55.001 - Life Tables, States, Territories and Australia, 2013-2015  
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MEDIA RELEASE
27 October 2016
Embargo: 11:30 am (Canberra Time)
112/2016
Life expectancy hits a new high

Life expectancy hit a new high in 2015, according to the latest figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

"Babies born today have the highest estimated life expectancy ever recorded in Australia," said Beidar Cho, ABS Director of Demography.

"Male life expectancy at birth reached 80.4 years in 2015, increasing from 80.3 in 2014. Female life expectancy also increased to 84.5 years in 2015 from 84.4 in the previous year.

"In 2013-2015, the male and female combined life expectancy at birth estimate for Australia was 82.4 years. This was 11.9 years higher than the world average of 70.5 years in 2010-2015," said Ms Cho.

In 2015, the Australian Capital Territory led the way, recording the highest life expectancy for both males and females, 81.2 years and 85.3 years respectively.

The Northern Territory recorded the lowest life expectancy of 75.7 years for males and 78.5 years for females.

"For both men and women, Australia has a higher life expectancy than similar countries such as Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the USA," said Ms Cho.

Further details are in Life Tables, States, Territories and Australia, 2013-2015 (cat. no. 3302.0.55.001). State, territory and sub-state information is also available for free download from the ABS website https://www.abs.gov.au.

Media notes:
  • When reporting ABS data, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (or ABS) must be attributed as the source.
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LIFE EXPECTANCY AT BIRTH, STATES, TERRITORIES AND AUSTRALIA - Selected years

Change
Change
2005
2014
2015
2005-2015
2014-2015

Australia(a)
Males
years
78.5
80.3
80.4
1.9
0.1
Females
years
83.3
84.4
84.5
1.2
0.1
New South Wales
Males
years
78.5
80.2
80.4
1.9
0.2
Females
years
83.3
84.4
84.6
1.3
0.2
Victoria
Males
years
79.0
81.1
81.1
2.1
0.0
Females
years
83.6
84.7
84.7
1.1
0.0
Queensland
Males
years
78.3
79.9
80.0
1.7
0.1
Females
years
83.2
84.2
84.3
1.1
0.1
South Australia
Males
years
78.1
80.1
80.3
2.2
0.2
Females
years
83.4
84.3
84.4
1.0
0.1
Western Australia
Males
years
78.8
80.5
80.5
1.7
0.0
Females
years
83.8
84.9
85.0
1.2
0.1
Tasmania
Males
years
77.2
78.8
78.9
1.7
0.1
Females
years
82.1
82.5
82.8
0.7
0.3
Northern Territory
Males
years
72.5
75.4
75.7
3.2
0.3
Females
years
78.2
78.9
78.5
0.3
-0.4
Australian Capital Territory
Males
years
79.9
81.4
81.2
1.3
-0.2
Females
years
84.0
85.2
85.3
1.3
0.1

(a) Includes Other Territories.