County of Marin Health and Human Services

Marin County Life Expectancy

Marin County Life Expectancy

 

The County of Marin is committed to advancing health equity for all residents. Despite its high health status, ranking 1st for health outcomes among California counties by County Health Rankings, some Marin residents have more opportunities to live long, healthy lives than others.

Life Expectancy and Causes of Premature Death

Life expectancy is an estimate of how long a person can expect to live if current mortality rates do not change. Life expectancy is an indicator of community health and allows us to identify disparities. Describing the causes of premature death (younger than 75 years of age) can reveal the primary drivers of lower life expectancy and provide insights into opportunities for intervention.

The data below show average life expectancy and causes of premature death in different communities in Marin. We show data for Marin residents by socioeconomic level (California Healthy Places Index), race, ethnicity, sex, and by neighborhood (census tract).

Key Takeaways
  • Marin’s average life expectancy is high (85.2 years) compared to California (81.0, 2020) and U.S. (76.4, 2021) estimates.
  • However, substantial disparities exist:
    • 14.9 year difference between highest census tract (Sausalito: Waldo Point 92.0) and lowest census tract (Marin City 77.1).
    • 11.6 year difference between highest race/ethnicity group (Asian 88.7) and lowest race/ethnicity group (African American/Black 77.1).
  • Cancer, diseases of the circulatory system (such as heart attack and stroke), and accidental overdoses were the leading causes of premature death.

How to Use this Interactive Dashboard

The map below displays community-level life expectancy by census tracts (which approximate neighborhoods). Darker blue census tracts have higher life expectancy and darker red census tracts have lower life expectancy. Type in your address to find your census tract to learn more about your neighborhood. The bar charts show life expectancy among Marin residents by California Healthy Places Index (HPI) quartile, race, ethnicity, and sex. If you want to make any chart larger, hover over the upper right corner and click the expansion icon.

    

    

Data Sources: California Vital Records Business Intelligence System, California Department of Finance, American Community Survey. The map is displaying community-based average life expectancy at birth, not including congregate living residents. The charts exclude only San Quentin inmates. Leading causes of premature death categories have been adapted from CDC Wonder categories. Other sources such as County Health Rankings include accidental overdoses as "Accidents." Causes of premature mortality are listed if there were 5 or greater premature deaths for that census tract. Data will be updated annually.

What is the County Doing to Address Disparities?
Health equity Access to health and cancer prevention
  • HHS Aging and Adult Protective Services - Responds to reports of possible abuse, neglect, exploitation, and self-neglect involving older adults (ages 60+) and people with disabilities (ages 18+).
  • Community Health Advocates/Promotores - Builds bridges between the diverse populations that they serve and the healthcare system.
  • Public Assistance - BenefitsCal - Supports residents in applying for and renewing benefits for health coverage, food and cash assistance.
  • Tobacco Control Program - An administrative agency responsible for supporting tobacco policy and allocating state and local funds to deliver tobacco education program services to Marin County residents.
  • Every Woman Counts - Program for access to breast and cervical cancer screening and linkage to treatment for those diagnosed.
Heart disease
  • Healthy Eating Active Living - Addresses food insecurity with a countywide collective impact approach to change policy, systems and environments will improve health outcomes for all.
  • CalFresh - California’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to provide food stamps for eligible residents.
  • Healthy Fair Healthy Marin initiative - Marin's health-focused annual county fair.
  • CHIP - Social Connections - Social connections can positively impact mental and physical health.
  • Food Pantries - Food pantries are managed by SF-Marin Food Bank.
  • Supporting Hands-Only CPR Training - On-site CPR training for residents through Emergency Medical Services.
Overdoses and other deaths of despair
  • OD Free Marin - Reducing the risk of overdose death in Marin.
  • Substance Use Treatment Services - Prevention, treatment, and recovery support for youth and adult populations.
  • Mental Health Services - Mental Health services for children, youth, adults 18 years and older, and services for adults over the age of 60 years.
  • Suicide Prevention - Suicide prevention, intervention, education, and outreach services and supports.
  • Suicide & Overdose Fatality Review Boards
  • Marin Schools Wellness Collaborative - Collaborative to discuss best practices to enhance systems of support for adolescent health, mental health, substance use, and sexual health services within the school setting.
  • Let’s Talk initiative - A resource for parents and caregivers, centered around the idea that with a lot of solid science, and a lot of heart, we can support our youth as they navigate the tough stuff.
  • Crisis Services - Mental health and substance use crisis services.
  • Numb or Nourish Initiative - Campaign designed to build skills and raise awareness about decisions related to substances.

Other Resources

Data Sources for State and National Life Expectancy