The numbers are shocking. In the Back Bay, the average person lives to the age of 92. Just a few miles away, in Roxbury, the average lifespan is just under 59 years.
Life expectancy in Boston varies by as much as 33 years between neighborhoods that are only a couple of miles away from each other, with a high of 91.9 in Back Bay and a low of 58.9 in Roxbury.
How can two neighborhoods in a city with some of the finest medical institutions in the world have a life expectancy gap of 33 years?
This week’s episode of Chronicle on WCVB tried to answer that question, shedding light on the fact that in Boston where you live often dictates how long you live. The report was based on a Boston University study that examined the connection between poor health and poverty, as well how environmental and social factors contribute to premature mortality.
To watch the Chronicle report, click here.
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