Life expectancy gap grows between Black Bostonians and others

The gulf in life expectancy between Black Bostonians and all other races has doubled in the last decade, a new analysis finds.

“ We cannot claim Boston as a beacon of health care while entire communities are left in the dark,” Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said at a press conference Friday highlighting the report from the Boston Public Health Commission. “A beacon that only shines for some is no beacon at all. It’s just a spotlight.”

Researchers found Black women in Boston die at 80, on average, six years earlier than other women. Black men average nine fewer years of life than others, living to 72.

The new findings are consistent with a report issued three years ago by the Boston Public Health Commission, which focused on neighborhood differences. A person living in Roxbury lived on average 23 fewer years than a person in Back Bay — a distance of just two miles.

To help close the gap, Wu said Boston will spend $1 million this year to increase cancer screenings, in partnership with Dana Farber Cancer Institute. Colon, prostate and breast cancers are the second leading cause of death for Black Bostonians after fatal drug overdoses. Heart disease and diabetes also rank high.

Boosting screening rates for Black people has been a formidable challenge. The American Cancer Society reported that a quarter of all Black patients have a “high mistrust of physicians” that contributes to fewer screenings, more disease and death.

Black women in Boston die at 80, on average, six years earlier than other women. Black men average nine fewer years of life than others, living to 72.

Decades of research document underlying factors that contribute to early death for Black residents of Boston and elsewhere: substandard housing, poor performing schools, higher rates of crime, and a lack of access to jobs, fresh food and health insurance.

“ We should be clear, this is not about biology. It’s not about personal choices,” said Rev. Miniard Culpepper, a Boston city councilor representing Roxbury, Dorchester, Fenway and the South End “It’s the result of longstanding inequities rooted in racism, community disinvestment and unequal access to resources.”

In 2024, the Atrius Foundation pledged $10 million to help Boston address “the connection between health and wealth.” On Friday, Wu said Boston will spend an additional $1 million this year on improving the health of Black men in particular, working with community groups and leaders to set priorities for that spending

Boston leaders have pledged many times in the past 30 years to give all residents an equal chance at a long, healthy life. Most recently, in June 2020, then-mayor Marty Walsh signed an executive order that declared racism a public health emergency in Boston. The Wu administration’s “Live Long and Well” agenda aims to close the life expectancy gap by 2035.

Boston Public Health Commissioner Dr. Bisola Ojikutu said these latest findings give the city a clear view of the that gap. Shrinking it may be harder as more residents lose access to health insurance through Medicaid or subsidized health plans — and in a political environment where using words like diversity, equity or racism can trigger federal funding cuts.

“Though our federal government has made equity a bad word, we believe that health equity — ensuring that everyone has a fair and just chance to be healthy — is right and not a privilege,” Ojikutu said. “It’s a core value and something we should all believe in.”