Abstract: Objective To understand the influence of major death causes on the life expectancy in residents in Zhejiang and provide evidence for the development of prevention and control measures. Methods The death cause surveillance data in 2010 were analyzed to calculate life expectancy, cause eliminated life expectancy, potential years of life lost and lost rate by using Excel and Chiang abridged life table and cause eliminated life table. Results The life expectancy was 77.29 years in residents in Zhejiang (78.71 years in urban residents and 76.52 years in rural residents).The major death causes affecting the life expectancy mostly were malignant tumors and cardiovascular/cerebrovascular diseases. If the two death causes were eliminated, the life expectancy would increase by 3.53, 3.06 years in urban residents and 3.35, 2.71 in rural residents. In malignant tumors, lung cancer affected the life expectancy mostly, the life lost due to lung cancer was 1.02 years in males and 0.47 years in females. Conclusion It is essential to strengthen the prevention and control of malignant tumors, especially lung cancer, and cardiovascular/cerebrovascular diseases to increase the life expectancy in residents.