Austria lives longer, but not healthier

Austrians are living longer, but not necessarily healthier lives, according to recent analyses. While the average life expectancy stands at 81.9 years, surpassing the OECD average of 81.6 years, the number of years spent in good health falls below the European Union average.

The COVID-19 pandemic had a noticeable impact, reducing the average life expectancy by nearly ten months (0.81 years) between 2020 and 2024. This places Austria in the lower-middle tier among EU countries regarding pandemic-induced life expectancy loss, with Germany experiencing a reduction of 0.66 years and Italy 0.76 years.

Despite these challenges, Austria shows a stronger performance in reducing avoidable mortality compared to other nations. The country records 175 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants that could have been prevented by timely medical intervention, which is better than the average of 207 deaths in comparable countries, according to the OECD's 2025 'Health at a Glance' report.

However, a study by the Medical University of Vienna highlights a significant gap in healthy life years. For individuals aged 65 and over, the average number of years lived in good health is 61.3 for women and 61.5 for men, falling short of the EU average of 64.2 years for women and 63.1 years for men. Regional disparities are also noted, with western states like Tyrol and Vorarlberg showing better health outcomes.

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The amplitudes between the measures were simply too large. We were rather stumbling between lockdown and beer tent.