You may not think much about your zip code. But it turns out that number can tell more about you then just where to deliver your mail.
Daniel Zingale is with The California Endowment. He says new data prove zip codes can be a reliable indicator of life expectancy.
“In fact your zip code can tell you more about how long you’ll live than your genetic code,” Zingale said. “So people in neighborhoods that may just be a few miles away from each other may have a lifespan differential of 10 years, 15 years, sometimes even 20 years.”
Zingale says zip codes revel a great deal because health is greatly affected by surroundings. Conditions like air and water quality, proximity to parks and safe places to exercise are all factors in life expectancy.
Zingale says the data confirm people in low-income areas don't live as long on average as people in wealthier neighborhoods.
***
California has one of the greatest life expectancies in the nation.
In the North State, life expectancy falls below California’s average of 81 years. A few of the region’s counties do, however, have life expectancies similar to or greater than the national average, which is 79 years. Those are the counties of Plumas, Sierra and Nevada.
By county average, the greatest life expectancy in the region is in Nevada County at 80 years. Lake, Del Norte, Shasta, Tehama and Yuba Counties are tied for the region’s lowest life expectancy at 76.
You can find your life expectancy based on your zip code here.
North State Life Expectancy | Create infographics
This story was produced by Capital Public Radio and localized by NSPR.