Mayor Michelle Wu, Boston Public Health Commission Announce First Black Life Expectancy Report and Efforts to Address Longstanding Health Inequities

BOSTON - Friday, February 27, 2026 – Mayor Michelle Wu today announced the first-ever report analyzing life expectancy among Black residents in Boston as a part of the Boston Public Health Commission’s (BPHC) Live Long and Well Agenda. This will be the first in a series of reports addressing the health needs of diverse populations in Boston. Closing the Gap: An Examination of Life Expectancy Among Black Residents in Boston shows that Black residents continue to have the lowest life expectancy of any racial or ethnic group in the city.

From 2013 to 2024, the life expectancy gap between Black residents and their neighbors doubled, increasing from 3.3 years to 6.6 years. Between 2022 and 2024, Black women had an average life expectancy of 80.1 years, about 6.4 years fewer than their counterparts. During that same period, Black men had an average life expectancy of 71.8 years, 9.3 years fewer than other men in Boston. This represents the lowest life expectancy of all groups included in this analysis. Projections for the next ten years show that if no additional and meaningful action is taken to address the inequities Boston’s Black communities face, the life expectancy gap will remain the same through 2035.

To address the health disparities outlined in this report, the City and Boston Public Health Commission are announcing new partnerships and initiatives, including:  

• A $1 million investment from BPHC’s annual operating budget to fund organizations working to improve Black men’s health. 

• A new partnership with Dana-Farber Cancer Institute to invest $1 million in cancer prevention, treatment, and other community-based initiatives that tackle the key drivers of premature mortality.  

• The Black Men’s Health Activation Summit will bring together local leaders to discuss the challenges facing Black men and make recommendations on priorities for BPHC’s investment.  

• The Mayor’s Live Long and Well Advisory Council will help City leaders implement the Live Long and Well Agenda and support the work being done to address health disparities in Boston.  

“Every Boston resident deserves the opportunity to thrive in their city. This report makes clear that we have more work to do, and we’re acting with urgency — launching new partnerships with healthcare leaders and investing in community-based organizations, focusing specifically on improving Black men’s health and strengthening prevention efforts across our neighborhoods,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “Through our Live Long and Well Agenda, we’re bringing together residents, advocates, and institutions to confront these inequities head-on and build a healthier future for everyone in our city.”

“Our life expectancy report reveals data that are stark, jarring and longstanding in our city. We are committed to addressing racial health inequity and ensuring that all Bostonians live long, healthy lives,” said Dr. Bisola Ojikutu, Commissioner of Public Health for the City of Boston. “This report underscores the importance of our Live Long and Well Agenda, a multi-sector partnership aimed at raising awareness and developing new strategies to address the root causes of health inequities experienced by Black Bostonians. Together, in partnership, we can and we will do better.” 

“Boston cannot call itself a healthy city while Black residents continue to die years earlier than their neighbors. This widening life expectancy gap is the result of systemic inequities, not individual choices, and it is preventable, said City Councilor Ruthzee Louijeune (At Large). “We have seen progress when we invest intentionally in equity-centered solutions. Now we must act with urgency and sustained commitment to ensure every Bostonian has the opportunity to live a long and healthy life.”

“This partnership with the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute for the health of our Black communities is more than collaboration — it’s a declaration that our communities have the right not just to survive, but to thrive, said City Councilor Henry Santana (At large). “I’m proud to stand with the dedicated public servants at the Boston Public Health Commission and the frontline healthcare workers who show up every day for our residents. Together, we are breaking down barriers to care, confronting health disparities head-on, and building a future where quality healthcare is not a privilege — it is a promise. Because health equity isn’t optional, it’s justice.”

"Black boys and girls, Black women and men deserve to grow old. And if we’re serious about that, then our policies and investments have to undo the conditions that keep these disparities in place. This report lays out, plain as day, the exact fault lines we need to confront as a city if we want Black Bostonians to have the same shot at a long, healthy life as anyone else,” said City Councilor Brian Worrell (District 4). “That means targeted solutions for our residents who are more likely to die earlier from cancer, heart disease, and overdoses. But it also means we zoom out and do the systemic work: investing in access to health care, fresh food, safe spaces to move our bodies, and the kinds of neighborhood conditions that make healthy living possible in the first place.”  

“As chair of the Civil Rights Committee, I believe this report reminds us that civil rights must be understood broadly. On the last Friday of Black History Month, we have honored over the last few weeks, and rightly so, the pillars of the movement — voting rights, housing rights, and equal opportunity. But health, longevity, and quality of life for everyone are civil rights issues too,” said City Councilor Miniard Culpepper (District 7). “The investments announced today through the Live Long and Well initiative are an important step forward. And together, we can build a Boston where a person’s life expectancy is not determined by their race or their zip code”

The Black Life Expectancy Report indicates three leading causes of premature mortality for Black people in Boston are unintentional overdose, cancer, and cardiometabolic disease. For Black men specifically, the fourth highest cause of death is homicide. To help address these disparities, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is partnering with BPHC and providing $1 million in funding for cancer screening and prevention for Boston’s Black residents. This investment is one of several Live Long and Well Agenda partnerships. In July 2024, BPHC and the Boston Community Health Collaborative began utilizing a $10 million investment from Atrius Health Equity Foundation to support community-led efforts to improve financial well-being in neighborhoods with poor cardiometabolic health, directly addressing the root causes of heart disease and diabetes.

"We know from the data produced by Boston Public Health Commission, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and our partners that we have pervasive inequities in cancer outcomes," said Dr. Christopher Lathan, Chief Clinical Access Officer for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. "The barriers to access are high in our communities, and Dana-Farber is thrilled to participate in this bold collaboration to reduce the cancer burden in the city of Boston. This effort will accelerate the progress of achieving true equity in cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care.” 

The Mayor’s Live Long and Well Advisory Council will bring together diverse leaders representing the city’s healthcare, nonprofit and community organizations. This Advisory Council aims to ensure efforts that address health disparities are shaped by people with professional expertise and lived experience advancing equitable health outcomes. The 30-member group will develop initiatives that reflect the cultural, social, and economic realities of Boston’s diverse communities, foster cross-sector collaboration, and serve as ambassadors representing the Live Long and Well mission in their institutions and communities.   

“As a member of the Mayor’s Live Long and Well Advisory Council, I have seen firsthand the City’s commitment to confronting the root causes of inequities that shape health across a lifetime. Life expectancy is not simply about health care — it reflects whether our communities have access to stable housing, quality education, economic opportunity, safe neighborhoods, and culturally responsive care,” said Dr. Elsie Taveras, Chief Community Health and Equity Officer at Mass General Brigham and Chair of the Boston Board of Health.

“The Mayor’s Office of Black Male Advancement stands firmly in partnership with the Boston Public Health Commission to confront the health disparities of Black men, boys, and families across Boston,” said Frank Farrow, Executive Director of the Office of Black Male Advancement. “BPHC’s efforts to close gaps in life expectancy among Black residents is guided by community voice and grounded in data with a focus on developing long term solutions through collective action. It is critical that we continue to build a comprehensive plan to improve quality of life and ensure every resident has the resources to live long and well in the City of Boston.”

The Black Men’s Health Activation Summit will take place on June 3, 2026. The Summit’s goals are to identify priorities for BPHC’s $1 million investment in organizations that support and uplift Black men’s health. The Summit will bring together leaders, advocates, providers, and community partners to generate sustainable solutions that advance health and opportunity. Participants will engage in four discussions: Strengthening Systems, Equity, Access, and Economic Mobility; Advancing Prevention, Wellness, and Holistic Health; Centering “Behavior & Health” in Behavioral Health; and Building Community, Strengthening Connection, and Mobilizing Collective Action. 

"Black Bostonians have long known that health and longevity are often out of reach, but these findings show just how harmful systemic racism is to the lives of Black people,” said Michael Curry, President and CEO of the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers. “While this report will be a revelation to many, I appreciate the City of Boston and the Boston Public Health Commission for shining a light on this hard truth and taking action to address it. For the past 60 years, Boston’s community health centers have focused on overcoming the social factors that make people sick, and we are eager to continue our work with partners across the city to end this crisis.”

Structural racism and marginalizing social conditions, such as housing instability, lack of economic mobility, food insecurity, chronic stress, and limited access to quality healthcare, are significant factors driving premature mortality. Addressing these root causes requires both sustained investments in the conditions that shape health and interventions that reduce harm and improve access to care. The Live Long and Well Agenda provides the framework to align policy, funding, and cross-sector action aimed at changing the systems that perpetuate health disparities. More information about the Live Long and Well agenda can be found on boston.gov/live-long.