Experts say your expected lifespan can boil down to where you live.
Researchers at the National Center for Health show just how much your specific neighborhood can impact the length of your life.
In the last two years, United States has seen life expectancy drop from 78.7 years to 78.6 years. Experts point to opioid addiction and an increase in suicides as the main reasons.
The Associated Press created a map showing the life expectancy for every area in America. They said the data is part of a new partnership between the National Center for Health Statistics, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, The National Association for Public Health Statistics and Information Systems (NAPHSIS), and the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS).
The study factored in the unemployment rate, household income, and education levels from the most recent census data. They also used death records and demographic data.
Across the Inland Northwest, the life expectancy is close to the national average of 78 years old. When you look at Spokane County, there are some big differences. On the southern and northern ends of Spokane County, the life expectancy is 86 years old. That's about six years more than the state average.
As you get closer to Interstate-90 and downtown Spokane, the life expectancy drops to just 66 years old. It’s 20 years less compared to the Mead area and Spokane's South Hill.
It turns out the unemployment rate, the percent of people without health insurance and without a high school diploma are much higher in areas with a lower life expectancy.