U.S. Life Expectancy Surpasses Record of 78 Years

The U.S. life expectancy has just hit a record high — rising to just over 78 years, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Wednesday.

The CDC released the information for a baby born in 2009, and is based on nearly all the death certificates for that year.

About 2.4 million people died in the United States in 2009 — roughly 36,000 fewer than the year before.

More good news: The infant mortality rate hit a record low of 6.42 deaths per 1,000 live births, a drop of nearly 3 percent from 2008.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.