County by County Blog

Project updates, commentaries, events and news about health across the nation from the County Health Rankings & Roadmaps team.

Virginia Commonwealth University Releases New Life Expectancy Maps for Major U.S. Cities

Publication date
April 30, 2015

Four new life expectancy maps illustrate that opportunities to lead long and healthy lives vary dramatically by neighborhood. Released today, the maps— created by researchers at the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Center on Society and Health with funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF)—highlight how babies born only miles apart in cities including Chicago, Atlanta, New York City, and Richmond, Virginia can have several years difference in life expectancy.

The maps provide a powerful visual that where you live influences how well and how long you live. They also underscore how good health depends on many factors beyond medical care – including education, jobs, housing, poverty, and much more.

The latest maps are part of a series that includes Las Vegas, Washington, D.C., New Orleans, Kansas City, Minneapolis, and the San Joaquin Valley in California. In the coming months, 14 new maps will be released for selected cities and rural communities across the country. 

  • View all the maps at http://bit.ly/1cws1d9 and join the conversation on Twitter using #CloseHealthGaps.

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