Maryland Life Expectancy Extremes
How is this for an amazing extreme in our northern neighbours: If you live in Montgomery County, you’ll live 12.7 years longer than if you live in Baltimore City.
That’s according to the life expectancy numbers for the DC area from today’s WashPost article Wide Gaps Found In Mortality Rates Among U.S. Groups:
Montgomery County is tied for first (81.3 years), with Fairfax County not far behind at 80.9. Baltimore City is next to last (68.6). The District, at 72 years, is also among the 50 jurisdictions with the shortest life expectancies.
They say they don’t know the reasons why, only that there is a difference.
I say the difference is simple: Potomac Hermaphroditic Bass. See the folks in Montgomery County, after years of exposure to estrogen-laden river waters, are way more caring, expressive, and stylish.
Baltimore – way too macho to live past 68.
The disparity between the two types of people are so far apart! The avg MoCo makes at least $30K-$50K more than a Bal-moron. Education level of the avg MoCo is at least undergrad degree vs. high school diploma for a Bal-moron (even with John Hopkins U in the middle of the city). Statistically, the standard of living are higher for people who are highly educated and make a decent living and thus, it would make sense for them to live longer.
Bal-mer have a great working class population and people who work as hard (and party as hard – have you ever been to an Orioles’ home opener? Empty Miller Lite beer cans are stacked up 2′ high around the trees of the sidewalk before game time!) don’t always have the health insurance coverage to afford to see the doctor when sick.
Reasons seem pretty obvious to me.