Study: Geography Matters for Life Expectancy of Low Income Residents

A new study, released this week, reveals the connections between geography and life expectancy.

1 minute read

April 12, 2016, 8:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


"For poor Americans, the place they call home can be a matter of life or death," according to a post by Neil Irwin and Quoctrung Bui. The article reports data from new research by the Health Inequality Project, released this week.

The conclusions of the study are sweeping and consequential for anyone working to shape the future of cities and towns. As Irwin and Bui write, "The right mix of steps to improve habits and public health could help people live longer, regardless of how much money they make." A further implication of that conclusion is that local solutions—rather than the "broader, multidecade problem of income inequality"—can improve public health outcomes. Raj Chetty, the study’s lead author, is quoted in the article: "You don’t want to just think about why things are going badly for the poor in America. You want to think specifically about why they’re going poorly in Tulsa and Detroit…"

The article provides in-depth coverage of the study, its implications, and also includes a lot of infographics to illustrate the findings of the study.

Monday, April 11, 2016 in The New York Times

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Close-up of "Apartment for rent" sign in red text on black background in front of blurred building

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program

Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

April 21, 2025 - Housing Wire

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 23, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Ken Jennings stands in front of Snohomish County Community Transit bus.

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series

The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

April 20, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

View of Washington state capitol dome in Olympia, Washington at golden hour.

Washington Legislature Passes Rent Increase Cap

A bill that caps rent increases at 7 percent plus inflation is headed to the governor’s desk.

April 29 - Washington State Standard

Low view of Glendale Narrows section of Los Angeles River with concrete bottom and cloudy storm sky over head.

From Planning to Action: How LA County Is Rethinking Climate Resilience

Chief Sustainability Officer Rita Kampalath outlines the County’s shift from planning to implementation in its climate resilience efforts, emphasizing cross-departmental coordination, updated recovery strategies, and the need for flexible funding.

April 29 - The Planning Report

Grandparents sitting on bench with young girl and boy, girl holding ball and boy holding ukelele.

New Mexico Aging Department Commits to Helping Seniors Age ‘In Place’ and ‘Autonomously’ in New Draft Plan

As New Mexico’s population of seniors continues to grow, the state’s aging department is proposing expanded initiatives to help seniors maintain their autonomy while also supporting family caregivers.

April 29 - Source NM