Health in Tennessee, United States: official figures
Life expectancy at birth in Tennessee was 73.8 years in 2022, 6th shortest among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 77.5 years), according to NCHS state life tables.
How long do men and women live in Tennessee?
Women in Tennessee could expect to live 76.9 years and men 70.9 years at 2022 death rates, a gap of 6.0 years (U.S.: 80.2 for women, 74.8 for men).
Source: National Center for Health Statistics (CDC) · saved copyIs life expectancy in Tennessee going up?
Life expectancy in Tennessee was 72.4 years in 2021, so the 2022 figure is up 1.4 years; nationally it rose from 76.4 to 77.5 years.
Source: National Center for Health Statistics (CDC) · saved copyHow long do people live after 65 in Tennessee?
A 65-year-old in Tennessee could expect to live another 17.2 years in 2022 (18.3 for women, 15.8 for men); 7th shortest among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 18.9).
Source: National Center for Health Statistics (CDC) · saved copyWhat is the infant mortality rate in Tennessee?
537 babies died before their first birthday in Tennessee in 2024, an infant mortality rate of 6.41 per 1,000 live births; 14th highest among the 50 states and DC. In 2019 the rate was 6.96 (560 deaths).
Source: National Center for Health Statistics (CDC) · saved copyHow many people die of drug overdoses in Tennessee?
2,499 people died of drug overdoses in Tennessee in 2024, an age-adjusted rate of 35.2 per 100,000 people; joint 7th highest among the 50 states and DC. The rate was 52.3 in 2023 (3,616 deaths) and 31.2 in 2019.
Source: National Center for Health Statistics (CDC) · saved copyAre overdose deaths falling in Tennessee?
CDC provisional data count about 1,967 drug overdose deaths in Tennessee in the 12 months to May 2026, down 15.8% on the 12 months to May 2025 (2,337); nationally the count went from 75,094 to 66,478. These counts are predicted values that allow for deaths still being investigated.
Source: National Center for Health Statistics (CDC) · saved copyHow many overdose deaths in Tennessee involve fentanyl?
Synthetic opioids other than methadone, mainly fentanyl, were involved in 1,092 of the 1,961 reported overdose deaths in Tennessee in the 12 months to May 2026 (56%), and psychostimulants such as methamphetamine in 820 (42%). A death can involve more than one drug.
Source: National Center for Health Statistics (CDC) · saved copyHow many people die of heart disease in Tennessee?
Heart disease killed 18,432 people in Tennessee in 2024, an age-adjusted rate of 210.0 per 100,000; 6th highest among the 50 states and DC (2019: 202.8).
Source: National Center for Health Statistics (CDC) · saved copyWhat is the cancer death rate in Tennessee?
Cancer caused 15,331 deaths in Tennessee in 2024, an age-adjusted rate of 165.1 per 100,000; 5th highest among the 50 states and DC (2019: 167.0).
Source: National Center for Health Statistics (CDC) · saved copyWhat is the suicide rate in Tennessee?
1,229 people in Tennessee died by suicide in 2024, an age-adjusted rate of 16.4 per 100,000; joint 21st highest among the 50 states and DC. In 2019 the rate was 17.2 (1,219 deaths).
Source: National Center for Health Statistics (CDC) · saved copyHow many gun deaths are there in Tennessee?
Firearms were involved in 1,448 deaths in Tennessee in 2024, including suicides, homicides and accidents: an age-adjusted rate of 19.8 per 100,000, 9th highest among the 50 states and DC (2019: 18.4).
Source: National Center for Health Statistics (CDC) · saved copyHow many people in Tennessee have no health insurance?
9.7% of people in Tennessee, about 691,000, had no health insurance in 2024; joint 10th highest among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 8.2%). That is up 0.4 percentage points on 2023 (9.3%), according to the American Community Survey.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many children in Tennessee are uninsured?
6.5% of children under 19 in Tennessee were uninsured in 2024, against 13.6% of adults aged 19 to 64 (U.S.: 6.0% and 11.3%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many people in Tennessee are on Medicaid?
12.9% of residents of Tennessee were covered only by Medicaid or another means-tested public plan in 2024, and 44.4% only by employer-based insurance (U.S.: 14.5% and 45.3%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many people are on Medicaid in Tennessee?
1,384,007 people were enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP in Tennessee in June 2026 (preliminary state data reported to CMS), down 3.6% on June 2025 (1,436,320); across the 50 states and DC the total was 73.17 million.
Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services · saved copyHow much has Medicaid enrollment in Tennessee changed since the pandemic?
In March 2023, the last month before states resumed removing people who no longer qualified after the pandemic, Tennessee had 1,801,567 Medicaid and CHIP enrollees, so enrollment has fallen 23.2% since then (50 states and DC: down 22.5%).
Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services · saved copyHow many children are on Medicaid in Tennessee?
Children made up 820,791 of the Medicaid and CHIP enrollees in Tennessee in June 2026 (59%), and adults enrolled in Medicaid numbered 563,216. Tennessee has not expanded Medicaid to low-income adults under the Affordable Care Act.
Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services · saved copyWhat is the obesity rate in Tennessee?
37.9% of adults in Tennessee had obesity (a body mass index of 30 or more) in the 2025 CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey (Tennessee did not report BRFSS results for 2024, so this uses 2025). In 2015 the figure was 33.8%; the median across the states and DC was 33.6% in 2025.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · saved copyHow many people smoke in Tennessee?
14.9% of adults in Tennessee smoked cigarettes in 2025 (state median 10.6%), down from 21.9% in 2015. 8.8% used e-cigarettes.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · saved copyHow many people have diabetes in Tennessee?
14.7% of adults in Tennessee had been told by a doctor they have diabetes, and 21.1% described their health as fair or poor, in 2025 (state medians: 12.2% and 18.1%).
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · saved copyHow many people in Tennessee cannot afford to see a doctor?
In 2025, 25.3% of adults in Tennessee said they had done no physical activity or exercise outside work in the past month, and 13.3% said that in the past year they had needed to see a doctor but could not because of the cost (state medians: 21.7% and 11.8%).
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · saved copyHow common is depression in Tennessee?
12.9% of adults in Tennessee reported binge drinking in 2025, and 21.3% had ever been told they have a depressive disorder (state medians: 14.0% and 22.6%).
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · saved copyHow Tennessee compares with other states
Life expectancy at birth (2022)
Tennessee ranks 45 of 51, highest first. NCHS state life tables
| Rank | Region | Life expectancy at birth |
|---|---|---|
| 42 | South Carolina | 75.1 years |
| 43 | New Mexico | 74.5 years |
| 44 | Arkansas | 73.9 years |
| 45 | Tennessee | 73.8 years |
| 46 | Alabama | 73.8 years |
| 47 | Louisiana | 73.8 years |
| 48 | Oklahoma | 73.8 years |
Life expectancy at age 65 (2022)
Tennessee ranks 45 of 51, highest first. Further years of life expected at 65
| Rank | Region | Life expectancy at age 65 |
|---|---|---|
| 42 | Missouri | 17.8 years |
| 43 | Indiana | 17.7 years |
| 44 | Louisiana | 17.5 years |
| 45 | Tennessee | 17.2 years |
| 46 | Alabama | 17.1 years |
| 47 | Arkansas | 17.0 years |
| 48 | Kentucky | 16.8 years |
Infant deaths per 1,000 live births (2024)
Tennessee ranks 14 of 51, highest first. NCHS Stats of the States
| Rank | Region | Infant deaths per 1,000 live births |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | West Virginia | 6.64 |
| 12 | Nebraska | 6.54 |
| 13 | Missouri | 6.44 |
| 14 | Tennessee | 6.41 |
| 15 | Georgia | 6.40 |
| 16 | Michigan | 6.33 |
| 17 | Indiana | 6.33 |
Drug overdose deaths per 100,000 (age-adjusted) (2024)
Tennessee ranks 7 of 51, highest first. NCHS Stats of the States
| Rank | Region | Drug overdose deaths per 100,000 (age-adjusted) |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Washington | 37.6 |
| 5 | New Mexico | 37.1 |
| 6 | Nevada | 35.9 |
| 7 | Tennessee | 35.2 |
| 8 | Maine | 35.2 |
| 9 | Vermont | 33.6 |
| 10 | Louisiana | 33.5 |
Drug overdose deaths, 12 months to May 2026 (provisional) (2025-2026)
Tennessee ranks 10 of 51, highest first. Predicted provisional counts
| Rank | Region | Drug overdose deaths, 12 months to May 2026 (provisional) |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Washington | 2,528 |
| 8 | Ohio | 2,319 |
| 9 | North Carolina | 2,139 |
| 10 | Tennessee | 1,967 |
| 11 | Illinois | 1,915 |
| 12 | Colorado | 1,847 |
| 13 | Michigan | 1,720 |
Heart disease deaths per 100,000 (age-adjusted) (2024)
Tennessee ranks 6 of 51, highest first. NCHS Stats of the States
| Rank | Region | Heart disease deaths per 100,000 (age-adjusted) |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Alabama | 223.9 |
| 4 | Louisiana | 220.0 |
| 5 | Arkansas | 217.1 |
| 6 | Tennessee | 210.0 |
| 7 | West Virginia | 205.3 |
| 8 | Kentucky | 196.9 |
| 9 | Michigan | 194.7 |
Cancer deaths per 100,000 (age-adjusted) (2024)
Tennessee ranks 5 of 51, highest first. NCHS Stats of the States
| Rank | Region | Cancer deaths per 100,000 (age-adjusted) |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | West Virginia | 175.1 |
| 3 | Oklahoma | 172.4 |
| 4 | Mississippi | 167.8 |
| 5 | Tennessee | 165.1 |
| 6 | Arkansas | 161.7 |
| 7 | Missouri | 159.7 |
| 8 | Louisiana | 158.3 |
Suicides per 100,000 (age-adjusted) (2024)
Tennessee ranks 21 of 51, highest first. NCHS Stats of the States
| Rank | Region | Suicides per 100,000 (age-adjusted) |
|---|---|---|
| 18 | Missouri | 17.8 |
| 19 | Iowa | 17.1 |
| 20 | Indiana | 16.8 |
| 21 | Tennessee | 16.4 |
| 22 | West Virginia | 16.4 |
| 23 | New Hampshire | 16.4 |
| 24 | South Carolina | 16.0 |
Firearm deaths per 100,000 (age-adjusted) (2024)
Tennessee ranks 9 of 51, highest first. NCHS Stats of the States
| Rank | Region | Firearm deaths per 100,000 (age-adjusted) |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Louisiana | 22.9 |
| 7 | Arkansas | 20.6 |
| 8 | Montana | 20.2 |
| 9 | Tennessee | 19.8 |
| 10 | District of Columbia | 19.7 |
| 11 | Missouri | 19.6 |
| 12 | South Carolina | 19.5 |
People without health insurance (2024)
Tennessee ranks 10 of 51, highest first. American Community Survey, civilian noninstitutionalized population
| Rank | Region | People without health insurance |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Arizona | 10.3% |
| 8 | Wyoming | 10.3% |
| 9 | New Mexico | 10.1% |
| 10 | Tennessee | 9.7% |
| 11 | Mississippi | 9.7% |
| 12 | Arkansas | 9.4% |
| 13 | Idaho | 9.2% |
Children under 19 without health insurance (2024)
Tennessee ranks 17 of 51, highest first. American Community Survey
| Rank | Region | Children under 19 without health insurance |
|---|---|---|
| 14 | North Dakota | 6.7% |
| 15 | Missouri | 6.6% |
| 16 | Utah | 6.6% |
| 17 | Tennessee | 6.5% |
| 18 | Indiana | 6.1% |
| 19 | New Mexico | 6.1% |
| 20 | Colorado | 6.0% |
Medicaid and CHIP enrollment, June 2026 (2026-06)
Tennessee ranks 17 of 51, highest first. CMS performance indicator data (preliminary)
| Rank | Region | Medicaid and CHIP enrollment, June 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 14 | Arizona | 1,611,827 |
| 15 | Massachusetts | 1,525,312 |
| 16 | Maryland | 1,385,888 |
| 17 | Tennessee | 1,384,007 |
| 18 | Indiana | 1,358,600 |
| 19 | Oregon | 1,264,858 |
| 20 | Kentucky | 1,264,449 |
Change in Medicaid and CHIP enrollment since March 2023 (2023-03 to 2026-06)
Tennessee ranks 25 of 51, highest first. March 2023 was the last month of pandemic continuous enrollment
| Rank | Region | Change in Medicaid and CHIP enrollment since March 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | Kentucky | -22.9% |
| 23 | Kansas | -22.9% |
| 24 | New Jersey | -23.0% |
| 25 | Tennessee | -23.2% |
| 26 | Wisconsin | -23.3% |
| 27 | Rhode Island | -23.3% |
| 28 | Illinois | -23.4% |
More on Tennessee: overview · economy and jobs · education and schools · poverty and living standards · government budget · the United States
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates, table-based summary file: Types of health insurance coverage by age (B27010), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 737090000f71…)
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) Prevalence Data, 2011 to present: selected questions, 2015 and 2023-2025, all adults, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 7ab093888a27…)
- National Center for Health Statistics (CDC): Stats of the States: Cancer mortality by state (National Vital Statistics System via CDC WONDER), map data file, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 16647d000278…)
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services: State Medicaid and CHIP Applications, Eligibility Determinations, and Enrollment Data (Performance Indicator data, September 2026 release), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 6fc730af4f67…)
- National Center for Health Statistics (CDC): Stats of the States: Firearm mortality by state (National Vital Statistics System via CDC WONDER), map data file, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 93f4daddcb09…)
- National Center for Health Statistics (CDC): Stats of the States: Heart disease mortality by state (National Vital Statistics System via CDC WONDER), map data file, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 53ffcd80b442…)
- National Center for Health Statistics (CDC): Stats of the States: Infant mortality rates by state (National Vital Statistics System via CDC WONDER), map data file, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c8e6ba1c198b…)
- National Center for Health Statistics (CDC): U.S. State Life Tables, 2022 (National Vital Statistics Reports Vol. 74, No. 12), Tables A, B and C, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c1373546ce89…)
- National Center for Health Statistics (CDC): Stats of the States: Drug overdose mortality by state (National Vital Statistics System via CDC WONDER), map data file, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 1990aeae39f4…)
- National Center for Health Statistics (CDC): Stats of the States: Suicide mortality by state (National Vital Statistics System via CDC WONDER), map data file, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 5df6571a02ff…)
- National Center for Health Statistics (CDC): VSRR Provisional Drug Overdose Death Counts (12-month ending periods, May and December 2019-2026, selected indicators), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 68a227998fc5…)
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