Danish life expectancies have experienced a significant increase, nearly reaching record levels within a single year. According to a recent analysis by ATP, the average lifespan for Danes has seen a notable rise, although Denmark still trails behind Sweden and Norway.

The analysis reveals that the life expectancy for 67-year-old men in Denmark has increased by five months in 2024, while for 67-year-old women, it has risen by 2.6 months.

Camilla Fredsgaard Larsen, Chief Actuary at ATP, emphasized the exceptional nature of the increase for men, marking only the second time in the last 30 years that such a substantial gain has been observed in a single year. While men have made significant strides, women continue to have a longer life expectancy overall.

This marks the second consecutive year of increased life expectancy in Denmark. While progress last year was primarily driven by gains for women, the current figures indicate a broader positive trend. Following declines in life expectancy for both men and women in 2021 and 2022 after the pandemic, Denmark has now returned to pre-pandemic levels. The overall trend of increasing lifespans is therefore continuing, with the life expectancy for a 67-year-old woman now at 86.7 years and for men at 84.2 years.

Despite the positive developments, Denmark still lags behind comparable European countries such as Sweden and Norway, where average life expectancy is approximately one year longer for both women and men.