Life Expectancy, Quality of Life Is Based on Your Zipcode

It turns out that where you live may play a big role in how long you live. Not exactly rocket science if you live in a place where brutality or war are commonplace but at least a little surprising in other cases. A recent analysis from Brandeis University indicates that some neighborhoods and economic disparity can affect life expectancy by as much as 9.3 years in some cases, and it all begins in childhood.

How Does a Zipcode Affect Length of Life?

The study conducted by Brandeis University, which led to the development of the Child Opportunity Index, found that zip codes are a good indicator of demographic information. In other words, they can look at the people who live in that zip code and determine whether they have economic prosperity, educational opportunities and a high quality of life. For people who have those things, one benefit of living in that zip code may be a longer life.

What is the Childhood Opportunity Score?

The Childhood Opportunity Score, which was a part of the Brandeis study, specifically looked at the opportunities for growth and development that children had in specific zip codes.

In Memphis, Tennessee, for example, 40% of children live in neighborhood conditions that are among the toughest anywhere in the country. They don’t have the same opportunities as children in Madison, Wisconsin, where virtually no children live in these kinds of conditions. Theoretically, children in Madison may live longer than children in Memphis, all other factors being equal. The highest opportunity scores for children were found in the Plains states and New England, with Texas and the Central Valley of California having some of the lowest scores.

Demographic Makeup Plays a Role

Racial disparity in resource allocation plays a significant role, and should not be dismissed when we consider the ways that children thrive and the resources allocated to certain areas. But many other issues also affect children’s abilities to thrive where they live, further complicating the challenges. For example, some children live in food deserts where they don’t have regular access to quality fresh food that’s nutritious and healthy. Not only do they struggle with their food options, but they may also live in families where there isn’t a lot of money to purchase quality food even when it is available. 

These same children are often in areas where educational opportunities are not equal to the more affluent areas, and where they don’t have access to the newest textbooks or the kind of computer-aided learning options that children in other zip codes can use. The result is that available jobs as they age often pay less, and there may also be the threat of gangs, drugs, and other types of criminal behavior. We understand this but gang activity and crime excluded, these are still the zip codes where life expectancy is lower. 

Children Live in Different Worlds, Just Streets Apart

In several cases, the difference in life expectancy statistics was based on children who were only a few streets apart from one another. Being able to move just a few blocks away, from a lower-income neighborhood to one where opportunities are more available may help increase a child’s life by almost a decade, overall. It’s not always possible to make this type of move, of course, but studies like the one conducted at Brandeis University suggest that choosing the best possible neighborhood if at all possible, is one way to potentially add more years to a child’s life. Our neighborhoods matter more than we may have realized and looking through this study or others like it may help to guide us when we're thinking not only where to live but also where we want to offer our volunteer hours and our donation dollars. Imagine a world where every child has the same opportunities. 

No matter where a child grows up, there are factors outside our control that helps to determine their success. Good healthy food, clean water and access to safe outdoor spaces, space to exercise and play, proper sleep, and high-quality educational opportunities, along with parents who have time to be involved in their daily lives may all play a role in children’s long-term health and success. Having a strong childhood foundation on which to base what they do in adulthood might also help them move into a better neighborhood at a later date, which may benefit the children they will have in the future. But now we also know, these things combine to help them live longer, too.

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