If you know anything about life expectancy, you know that it’s strongly affected by an array of variables. These include factors we can’t control (most notably genetics, but also the life circumstances we’re born into), as well as some that we can (such as lifestyle choices).
But what about a factor that falls somewhere in the middle of the spectrum of individual control — the location where you live? In other words, is there an association between zip code and health?
Keep reading and we’ll answer that question, clearly explaining the relationship between zip code and life expectancy. To help you understand the reasons for differences in health by zip code, we’ll also outline the specific benefits of living in a healthy environment.
Can Our Location Be a Predictive Factor for Our Health?
Yes, our location can absolutely be a predictive factor for our current and future health status.
In fact, as described by health insurance executive Destiny-Simone Ramjohn, “Your ZIP code is a better predictor of your health than your genetic code.”
Research also shows that the social determinants of health (that is, “the non-medical factors that influence health outcomes,” or “the conditions in which people are born, grow, work, live, and age,” according to the WHO) can have more of an impact on health than lifestyle choices or even healthcare. Where people live is strongly associated with quite a few of these social determinants of health, so it makes sense that location would be such a strong predictive factor.
As shocking as this may be, it makes more sense when you consider that there are quite a few reasons why location affects health:
- Environmental conditions: Air and water quality, access to green spaces, and other environmental conditions have a major effect on your health, especially over time. Exposure to high levels of pollution is seriously harmful to your health.
- Healthcare access: In general, those living in cities have access to better healthcare facilities and more modern treatments, while those living in rural areas often contend with lower-quality medical care as well as a lack of essential medical services.
- Socioeconomic status: Neighborhoods are often severely segregated by class, with wealthy people living in locations entirely separate from lower-income people. There are numerous ways that this affects health, most notably that residents of lower-income neighborhoods have less access to nutritious food and tend to have higher stress levels due to poverty.
- Cultural norms: Different regions often have different cultural norms, including those related to lifestyle choices like diet, exercise, and healthcare. These norms impact the health behaviors of individuals living in these cultures.
Not only is location a predictive factor for health — it’s a powerful predictive factor. It can even be broken down by zip code and linked to metrics as specific as life expectancy. We’ll explain how in the next section.
Does Your Zip Code Affect Your Life Expectancy?
Research shows that disparities in life expectancy by zip code can be striking even within the same city.
Here’s an excellent example of this phenomenon, courtesy of MedCity news: imagine there are two 60-year-old women who live 10 miles apart near Washington, DC. Both of these women have family histories of diabetes, are on blood pressure medication, and haven’t had a yearly check-up with their doctors in a few years.
Shockingly, although the women are very similar in their age and health status, and only live 10 miles away from one another, there’s one big difference between the two. One of these women is expected to live to 63 years of age, while the other is expected to live to 96 years old. That’s right: due to their differing zip codes, these two women have a whopping 33-year difference in their life expectancies.
This can be attributed to all the factors we described in the last section, particularly socioeconomic status and environmental factors.
Benefits of a Healthy Living Environment
If where you live can make you more or less healthy over time, resulting in drastic zip code health disparities, it stands to reason that a healthy living environment has numerous benefits. These include:
- Better physical health thanks to clean air and water, as well as less exposure to environmental pollutants and toxins
- Less stress with more access to green space and protection from noise pollution
- Safe sidewalks and parks provide more opportunities for physical activity, which benefits health overall
All of these factors and more lead to an overall higher quality of life for those living in healthier environments.
Are You Ready To Lean Into Life Expectancy?
The Life Expectancy Calculator team always employs the latest research and data to ensure our models are as accurate and reliable as possible.
If you’re wondering what your own life expectancy might be based on your location as well as many other factors, give the Life Expectancy Calculator a try. Although having that information might strike you as unnerving, there’s a reason for the aphorism “knowledge is power” — once you know your current life expectancy, you can take action to improve it.
Not sure if you’re ready to give it a try? Consider these five solid reasons to take a life expectancy quiz.
Stay tuned for even more posts diving down various fascinating, life expectancy-related rabbit holes!
