Life Expectancy at Birth represents the predicted lifespan of a newborn child at the moment of birth. This metric is a powerful indicator of overall well-being in a city, shaped by factors like access to healthcare, safe housing, nutritious food, and clean environments.
Large gaps in life expectancy between neighborhoods often reveal deep-rooted inequities tied to poverty, environmental stress, and systemic barriers to care. Addressing these disparities requires cross-sector policies that invest in community health, improve living conditions, and expand access to essential services to support longer, healthier lives for all residents.
As a measure of overall well-being, a rise in life expectancy at birth represents a positive trend for the state of public health because it suggests that residents are experiencing improved living conditions and access to healthcare.