Utah has the ninth-highest life expectancy in the U.S., according to a CDC national vital statistics report released yesterday.

  • The life expectancy for Utahns was 78.6 years — higher than the national rate of 77 years.

Yes, but: Utah’s rate declined by about a year between 2019 and 2020 amid the COVID health crisis.

  • According to the CDC, heart disease was the leading cause of death among Utahns in 2020, followed by cancer, accidents and COVID-19.

The big picture: Nationwide, life expectancy among Americans declined by 1.8 years due to the pandemic and the increase in unintentional injuries, such as overdoses. By the numbers: There was a nearly four-year gap between Utah women (80.6) and men (76.7).

  • Even though women tend to outlive men on average, Utah women were ranked 15th in the nation.