5 Minutes
Coastal advantage: ocean proximity and longevity
Living within a few dozen miles of the ocean appears to be associated with longer life expectancy, according to a large U.S. analysis. The study, led by researchers at The Ohio State University and published in Environmental Research, compared life-expectancy estimates across more than 66,000 U.S. census tracts and evaluated outcomes relative to proximity to different types of "blue space" — ocean, gulf, rivers and large inland lakes. Credit: Shutterstock
Researchers observed that residents living within roughly 30 miles of a coastline tended to outlive the national average, while people in many urban neighborhoods adjacent to sizable inland waters (defined in the study as bodies larger than four square miles) did not show the same longevity advantage. Rural communities near water sometimes shared some of the coastal benefits, but the clearest edge was among coastal populations.
Methods and key findings
The team analyzed demographic and life-expectancy data across tens of thousands of census tracts, controlling for urban versus rural context and proximity to water. The principal findings can be summarized as:
- Coastal residents generally showed higher-than-average life expectancy — often more than a year above the U.S. mean of about 79 years in the dataset.
- Urban residents living near large inland rivers and lakes often had slightly lower life expectancy estimates, near or just under 78 years.
- Rural residents near water sometimes gained longevity advantages similar to coasts, suggesting local context matters.
Lead author Jianyong "Jamie" Wu and colleagues attribute the coastal advantage to a constellation of environmental and socio-economic factors rather than any single cause.
Possible mechanisms: environment, economy and lifestyle
The analysis highlights several plausible contributors to the coastal effect. Coastal areas typically have milder temperature extremes and fewer very hot days, improved ambient air quality, greater access to outdoor recreation, and often better transportation infrastructure. In many coastal communities, higher average incomes and lower drought susceptibility also correlate with better population health outcomes.
Why inland urban water may differ
By contrast, urban areas adjacent to inland waters may face concentrated pollution, greater flood risk in certain contexts, fewer safe or inviting spaces for physical activity, and pockets of poverty. These adverse social and environmental determinants are likely to offset any potential benefits from proximity to water.
Previous studies linking "blue space" exposure to health have reported higher physical activity, lower obesity prevalence, and improved cardiovascular markers among people living near water. This new study is among the first to systematically test how those associations translate to differences in life expectancy across different types of water bodies and neighborhood settings.
Implications for public health and urban planning
The findings point to actionable areas for policy and planning. Improving air quality, creating safe access to waterfronts, investing in active-transport and recreation infrastructure, and addressing socio-economic inequities could help communities near inland water realize more of the health gains observed on coasts. Likewise, coastal resilience planning that reduces flood risk and protects ecosystems can help preserve existing longevity advantages.
Expert Insight
Dr. Lena Ramirez, an environmental epidemiologist (fictional), says: "This study underscores that blue spaces are not uniformly beneficial. The health payoff depends on local environmental quality, social resources, and infrastructure. Coastal breezes may help, but without clean air, safe walking routes and equitable investment, waterfront living alone won’t guarantee better health."
Dr. Ramirez recommends that municipal planners prioritize equitable access to clean, safe waterfronts and integrate climate resilience to prevent flooding and pollution from undermining health gains.
Research context and next steps
The study helps explain part of the divergent life-expectancy trends observed in the United States compared with other high-income countries, where social determinants and complex environmental exposures interact differently. The authors note more research is needed to untangle cause and effect — for example, whether healthier people are more likely to move to coastal areas or whether coastal living produces measurable physiological benefits over time.
Future work could use individual-level longitudinal data, air-quality monitoring, and fine-scale measures of physical activity and social conditions to pinpoint the most effective interventions.
Conclusion
Proximity to the ocean is associated with modestly higher life expectancy in the U.S., while urban living near large inland waters does not automatically confer the same benefit. The results suggest that environmental conditions, socioeconomic factors and local infrastructure shape whether blue spaces translate into longer lives. Policymakers and planners who aim to use waterfronts to improve public health should combine environmental protection, equitable investment, and resilience planning to capture the full potential of blue-space benefits.
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