Residents in some neighborhoods live 30 years longer. Researchers developed a model to close that gap.

The average life expectancy in the U.S. is 79, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but that average ranges drastically — from the mid-50s to the mid-90s — based on where people live. A new model called the “universal basic neighborhood” aims to help people in all communities maintain an average life expectancy of at least 80 by spreading health across neighborhoods rather than concentrating it in a few pockets. 

“Part of the problem we have in many U.S. cities is that we have really, really well-to-do, wealthy neighborhoods with an incredible amount of [health-related] assets, but it doesn’t translate into massive gains in life expectancy,” said Michael Emerson, a fellow in religion and policy at Rice University who led the UBN study.

VIEW THE STORY AT SMART CITIES DIVE