Life expectancy among diabetics in Iowa was estimated by using mortality data for the state. The Iowa general population had a higher life expectancy than the diabetic population at every age, except at ages 80 and over for men and ages 75 and over for women. The estimated life expectancy of 59.7 years at birth for diabetic males and of 69.8 years for diabetic females was lower than that for the Iowa general population by 9.1 years among males and 6.7 years among females. This difference narrowed with increasing age. The Iowa figures were similar to the estimates of life expectancy for the diabetic population of Pennsylvania.