A groundbreaking new study uncovers major differences in life expectancy across the United States. Over the past 100 years, where you live has played a huge role in how long you can expect to live.
Researchers analyzed more than 179 million death records from 1969 to 2020. Instead of looking at deaths year by year, they focused on birth cohorts, or groups of people born around the same time. This approach gives a clearer picture of how early life experiences and long-term social conditions shape health over a lifetime.
Always heard and knew about some of this, bits and pieces over the years. But wow, what a careful analysis