The data for census tracts are for 2018. The data for counties and states are for 2020. The national life expectancy data are for 2021.
How does where we live affect our opportunity to be healthy?
We all want to live in a United States where everyone has a fair and just opportunity to reach their best health and wellbeing, no matter their race, ethnicity, or class. That can happen by making sure everyone gets quality healthcare from doctors who respect them. It can happen when families live in communities with well-funded schools and parks, and in neighborhoods with access to safe and affordable homes. But this is not everyone’s reality today. There are barriers built in front of some of us that create unequal opportunity and threaten freedom and prosperity.
The U.S. has witnessed the steepest plunge in life expectancy since World War II, largely fueled by the COVID-19 pandemic, which underscored that wealth, racism, and privilege continue to play an outsized role in how long and how well people live.
According to the most recent data available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, life expectancy at birth in the United States is 76.4 years.
Our ZIP code shouldn’t dictate our health. Everyone should have the opportunity to live the healthiest life possible in the place they call home. By joining together, we can unite to create a better future for everyone’s children and grandchildren.
RWJF's health equity toolkit provides resources, data, and examples of communities working to achieve better health for all.
Our grantmaking aims to advance health equity by identifying, illuminating, and addressing structural and systemic barriers.
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