Why do women live longer than men? Study offers clues to close the gap

Allison Aubrey

October 06, 2025 / 2:00 am

When it comes to longevity, women are much more likely to outlive men. In the U.S. the gap widened to 5.8 years in 2021. On average, men can expect to live just shy of 76 years , compared to 81 for women.

A new study from researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany shows this gap is true across different species. And the findings — published in the journal Science Advances — suggest there may be ways human males can narrow the gap.

The study found among 528 species of mammals — including humans' closest relative the chimpanzee — females often have the advantage. Females live about 13% longer in 72% of species.

A mix

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