The ONS figures will add to the ongoing debate about regional inequalities and the pressures on Northern Ireland’s health system.
Lisburn and Castlereagh has the highest life expectancy from birth in Northern Ireland, according to new figures from the Office for National Statistics. The area leads for men and shares first place for women, while Belfast sits at the bottom of both lists.
The data, which breaks down average life expectancy by local council area, highlights a persistent health gap between more affluent districts and those facing higher levels of deprivation.
For men, Lisburn and Castlereagh records an average life expectancy of 80.5 years. Ards and North Down follows at 79.9, with Fermanagh and Omagh close behind at 79.8. At the other end of the scale, Derry City and Strabane stands at 77.6, while Belfast is lowest at 76.5.
The picture is similar for women. Fermanagh and Omagh and Lisburn and Castlereagh jointly top the table at 83.8 years, closely followed by Ards and North Down on 83.5. Belfast again ranks lowest, with female life expectancy at 80.5.
Public health experts have long pointed to a mix of factors behind these divides, including income, access to healthcare, employment, housing conditions and lifestyle. While the differences shift slightly year to year, the broad pattern of longer lives in suburban and rural council areas and shorter lives in urban, historically deprived districts has remained largely unchanged.
The ONS figures will add to the ongoing debate about regional inequalities and the pressures on Northern Ireland’s health system. Public health officials have said that narrowing the gap will require long-term investment in prevention, better support for communities with poorer outcomes and sustained action across government departments.
Use our interactive map below to compare the average life expectancy in each council area.
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