A Typical American Life, Week by Week

Although the phrase “typical American” may conjure up images of picket fences and middle-class families with a couple of dogs and a kid on the way, the term is actually quite difficult to classify. To see what I mean, take a close look at the chart below from Wait But Why, which attempts to measure the life of a typical American using data from Gallup, Forbes, the U.S. Census Bureau, the Baby Center, and the Pew Research Center. On the right side, it divides the typical American’s life into seven broad categories: the early years, elementary school, middle school, high school, college, graduate school/career, and retirement. On the left, it marks the distinct milestones that a typical American might experience throughout his or her lifetime. Each row represents a year of one’s life.

As you can see, the typical American man will live to be about 76 years old, while the typical American woman will live to be about 81. The overall chart, however, is a bit more optimistic, showing a potential life span from birth to age 90. The chart’s creator, Tim Urban, believes that “90 will not be that uncommon to live to” for young people currently in their 20s and 30s, thanks to modern medicine and advances in technology. With 52 weeks in a year, that means the American lifespan could consist of around 4,732 weeks, including the first year of one’s life. If that doesn’t seem like much time, it isn’t. Taken all together, the chart is a startling reminder of how life can be accurately described as just a series of moments.