In the U.S., were used to comparing our life expectancies with other countries, says Emily Badger, but in many cities one only needs to travel a mile to see decades of difference in average life spans. Stark new maps make these discrepancies clear.
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has produced a series of stunning maps that highlight the differences in life expectancies from one neighborhood to the next in select American cities. For David Fleming, the public health director and health officer for Seattle and King County, the lesson gleaned from these maps is that "[w]e need to think about the differences between adjacent neighborhoods the way we currently think about the differences between America and Haiti," explains Badger.
"It’s no mystery about why life expectancy is low in some areas," Fleming says. "Lots of factors influence health. The striking thing is that most of these factors we’re talking about intensely cluster geographically in the same places. Places with low life expectancy are the same places that have high infant mortality rates, high rates of asthma, high rates of obesity."
"They're the same places that have few healthy food options, or no sidewalks to encourage walking, or less safety at night, or even greater rates of environmental pollution," adds Badger. "This suggests the real public health challenge, as we've written before, is as much about place as it is about people. And that means the solutions should be about place, too."
FULL STORY: Why We Need to Treat America's Poorest Neighborhoods Like Developing Countries
Study: Urban US Residents Have Higher Life Expectancy Than Rural Americans
A combination of economic and social factors leads to higher rates of disease and reduced access to healthcare for many rural residents.
Singapore: A Model for Longevity and Quality of Life
Singapore's remarkable rise in life expectancy, driven by government policies on health, green spaces, and social cohesion, has earned it the distinction of being named the world's sixth “Blue Zone.”
U.S. Population Growing Again in 2022 After Flatlining in 2021
The U.S. Census released new population estimates last week, showing an increase in population growth just a year after national population growth crawled to an unprecedented halt.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
San Francisco's School District Spent $105M To Build Affordable Housing for Teachers — And That's Just the Beginning
SFUSD joins a growing list of school districts using their land holdings to address housing affordability challenges faced by their own employees.
The Tiny, Adorable $7,000 Car Turning Japan Onto EVs
The single seat Mibot charges from a regular plug as quickly as an iPad, and is about half the price of an average EV.
Trump Approves Futuristic Automated Texas-Mexico Cargo Corridor
The project could remove tens of thousands of commercial trucks from roadways.
Austin's First Single Stair Apartment Building is Officially Underway
Eliminating the requirement for two staircases in multi-story residential buildings lets developers use smaller lots and more flexible designs to create denser housing.
Atlanta Bus System Redesign Will Nearly Triple Access
MARTA's Next Gen Bus Network will retool over 100 bus routes, expand frequent service.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)