State Variation in Black and White Life Expectancy and Evolving Disparities

The Issue

Researchers analyzed changes in average life expectancy from 1990–2018 among Black and White people nationally and across all 50 states. Although the racial gap in life expectancy narrowed, the analysis shows it was not erased.

Key Findings

1. Nationally, life expectancy for both Black and White people increased, but gains for Black individuals outpaced those of White counterparts by about four years for both men and women. 
2. Even with the gains for Black people, researchers say longstanding racial gaps persist. In 2018, White women could expect to live three years longer than Black women and White men could expect to live five years longer than Black men, according to the analysis. 
3. The analysis shows substantial variation across states. Life expectancy for Black women ranged from 67.5 years in West Virginia to 82.8 years in Rhode Island. Life expectancy for Black men ranged from 61.3 years in West Virginia to 76 years in Rhode Island.

Conclusion 

Life expectancy variation across states show many factors, including longstanding inequities and structural racism, contribute to life expectancy trends. 

About the Author/Grantee

The nonprofit Urban Institute is dedicated to elevating the debate on social and economic policy. For nearly five decades, Urban scholars have conducted research and offered evidence-based solutions that improve lives and strengthen communities across a rapidly urbanizing world. Their objective research helps expand opportunities for all, reduce hardship among the most vulnerable, and strengthen the effectiveness of the public sector. Visit the Urban Institute’s Health Policy Center for more information specific to its staff and its recent research.