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Life expectancy in San Mateo County is higher than the state and national averages, although there are stark disparities between affluent cities like Menlo Park and less wealthy cities like nearby East Palo Alto, according to a recent report by the county’s health department.
As of 2023, the most recent year for which data is available, the life expectancy in San Mateo County was 86 while the state average was 81.8 and the national average was 77.5 based on data from the California Departments of Public Health and Finance and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“It’s really hard to pinpoint one thing that made the difference in our generally good health outcomes and life expectancy,” said San Mateo County Health Officer Kismet Baldwin-Santana, whose role involves advising elected officials on public health policies.
Baldwin-Santana added that it’s likely due to a combination of things, including policies and programs “implemented over the years.”
The report points to existing state and local initiatives, including nutritional assistance programs like CalFresh and county minimum wage requirements, aimed at improving affordability and access to food, housing, education, and other factors known as the social determinants of health.
The report also highlights new initiatives designed to improve local citizens’ longevity and quality of life like the Baby Bonus Pilot Program, which began in March of this year and gives $300 per month for three years to 400 San Mateo County families with newborns receiving Medi-Cal.
It also notes soon-to-be implemented initiatives like the county’s first Family Justice Center, which will consolidate services for victims of abuse and human trafficking under one roof.
Disparities in Health
San Mateo, Marin and San Francisco – the California counties with the highest median incomes – have the highest life expectancies in the state, aligning with national studies that show Americans with higher incomes tend to live longer and healthier lives than those with lower incomes.
While the overall life expectancy in San Mateo County is high, gaps exist along racial and geographic lines, mirroring national trends.
White, Asian and Hispanic/Latino residents live longer than their Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander and Black counterparts, with the prior having life expectancies around 85 years and older and the latter having life expectancies of 81.3 and 78.9, respectively.
There are also differences between cities. Menlo Park, Foster City and Millbrae, for example, have life expectancies between 84.5 and 89.9 compared to East Palo Alto, Half Moon Bay and Daly City which have life expectancies between 75.8 and 81.3.
Baldwin-Santana said looking at the data on the city level offers a “30,000-foot view” but in order to better understand what factors are at play and where resources should be allocated, county epidemiologists are currently zooming in on census tracts.
Improving Health Outcomes
The issues of life expectancy and disparities within San Mateo County were raised at a Board of Supervisors meeting on June 10.
“We should do everything we can as policy makers to leave no one behind,” San Mateo County Board of Supervisors President David Canepa said at the meeting.
Canepa, who co-sponsored Baldwin-Santana’s presentation on the topic, added that his goal is to ensure that “whether you live in Hillsborough, Woodside or Atherton, or whether you live in San Mateo, Daly City, East Palo Alto or North-Central San Mateo, that you have the same opportunity and the same resources.”
There are county-wide efforts underway to improve health outcomes.
In August 2023, the Public Health, Policy and Planning division of San Mateo County Health released its Community Health Assessment, a data-driven report on the physical health and quality of life of the county’s residents.
After the assessment was conducted, the public health division “ went out and engaged community members to understand what their priorities were,” said Kacie Patton, the San Mateo County Public Health Equity Officer and Health Equity, Policy & Planning program manager.
Now the county, in collaboration with community partners, is developing a Community Health Improvement Plan, with working groups focused on access to health care services, the social determinants of health and mental health based on the community’s priorities.
“Life expectancy isn’t a measure that changes quickly,” Baldwin-Santana said, noting that any benefits resulting from the plans implemented now won’t be realized for many years to come. “You really do have to lay the seed and then kind of watch everything grow and … reap the benefits later on.”
