How your postcode affects how long you will live with some Australians dying 30 YEARS earlier - and the surprising reason some rich inner-city suburbs are at the bottom of the list

  • New data shows that your postcode could be a factor in how long you life
  • Surprising data shows Melbourne and Sydney CBD have poor life expectancy
  • Professor John Glover said socio-economic disadvantage is one major factor

Your postcode has a lot to do with your lifespan, surprising new research into longevity has revealed.

Data from Torrens University's Public Health Information Development Unit found Australians are living longer than ever before with an average life expectancy of 81 years - 78 for men and 84 for women.

But where you live is a major factor in determining how long you might live - in some cases the difference can be up to 30 years.

Many regional areas that lack access to healthcare and other services came in towards the bottom of the list.

However, Sydney and Melbourne's CBD are actually the worst places in their respective states to live when it comes to living a long life. 

Your postcode has a lot to do with your lifespan, surprising new research into longevity has revealed. Pictured: People in Melbourne on New Year's Eve 2020

Your postcode has a lot to do with your lifespan, surprising new research into longevity has revealed. Pictured: People in Melbourne on New Year's Eve 2020

Longest life expectancy 

Victoria: Ashburton - 89 years

New South Wales: Castle Hill, Cherrybrook, Glenhaven, Cromer, Narrabeen, Collaroy, Killara, Pymble - 88 years

Queensland: Centenary East, Chermside - 87 years

South Australia: Unley, Parkside - 89 years

Tasmania: Mount Nelson, Sandy Bay, South Hobart, New Town - 86 years

Northern Territory: Casuarina - 76 years

Western Australia: Manning, Waterford - 87 years 

Advertisement

Shortest life expectancy 

Victoria: Melbourne CBD - 59 years

New South Wales: Haymarket, The Rocks - 67 years

Queensland: Springfield Lakes - 57 years

South Australia: Adelaide, Two Wells - 69 years

Tasmania: Bridgewater, Gagebrook - 67 years

Northern Territory: Driver, Gray, Moulden, Woodroffe - 62 years

Western Australia: Forrestdale, Harrisdale, Piara Waters - 62 years


Advertisement

 

Professor John Glover, the man who led the painstaking nationwide research, said determining the median age of death is extremely complex. 

'On one level it does show variations in socio-economic disadvantage but their are also other factors at play,' he told Daily Mail Australia.

'For example, when you have deaths from road accidents or suicides by young people that will lower the median age.

'One the other hand if you have a high proportion of residential aged care facilities it may raise the median age of life expectancy in an area.'

Generally, the most well-off areas have the highest life expectancy and disadvantaged areas have the lowest median age of death.   

'In the case of Melbourne and Sydney's CBD, which have a very low median age of death, it is influenced by the location of hospitals,' Professor Glover said.

'If an address is not known when a person dies, the address is recorded as the hospital.

'It can also be lowered by people suffering from homelessness or living in assisted housing facilities, such as boarding houses.'

Regional areas with highest life expectancy 

Victoria: Yackandandah - 86.5 years

New South Wales: Mayfield, Warabrook, Waratah, North Lambton - 86 years  

South Australia: Nuriootpa, Tanunda - 86 years

Western Australia: Albany - 85 years

Northern Territory: Alice Springs (town) - 66 years 

Tasmania: Newstead, Norwood, Youngtown, and Relbia - 85 years 

Advertisement

Regional areas with lowest life expectancy 

Victoria: French Island - 65 years 

New South Wales: Maryland, Fletcher, Minmi - 69 years 

Queensland: Mount Isa - 67 years 

South Australia: APY Lands - 53 years 

Western Australia: Newman - 45 years

Northern Territory: Alice Springs (remote) - 54 years

Tasmania: Quoiba, Spreyton - 69 years

 

 

 

Advertisement


Victoria

In Victoria, the area with the highest life expectancy was Ashburton in Melbourne's southeast where residents on average live to 89 years of age.

The lowest life expectancy was found to be Melbourne's CBD with an average life expectancy of just 59. 

Yackandandah on the border with NSW near Albury topped the list for regional areas at 86.5 years.

The lowest life expectancy was French Island in Melbourne's Port Phillip Bay, where residents live to 65 years on average.

New South Wales

In NSW, leafy suburbs in the Hills district and the Northern Beaches topped the list.

Residents in Castle Hill, Cherrybrook (east), Glenhaven, Cromer, Collaroy, Narrabeen, Gordon, Pymble and Killara can expect to live to 88 years of age.

But those living in Sydney's CBD which includes Haymarket and The Rocks, came in at the bottom of the pile where life expectancy is just 67.

In regional areas, residents in Newcastle's Mayfield, Warabrook, Waratah and North Lambton have the longest life expectancy at 86 years.

Maryland, Fletcher, Minmi, also in the Hunter Valley, have the lowest life expectancy at 69 years.

Residents in Castle Hill, Cherrybrook (east), Glenhaven, Cromer, Collaroy, Narrabeen, Gordon, Pymble and Killara can expect to live to 88 years of age. Pictured: Residents in Sydney's Narrabeen

Residents in Castle Hill, Cherrybrook (east), Glenhaven, Cromer, Collaroy, Narrabeen, Gordon, Pymble and Killara can expect to live to 88 years of age. Pictured: Residents in Sydney's Narrabeen

Those living in Sydney’s CBD which includes Haymarket and The Rocks, came in at the bottom of the pile where life expectancy is just 67. Pictured: Pedestrians in Sydney's CBD

Those living in Sydney's CBD which includes Haymarket and The Rocks, came in at the bottom of the pile where life expectancy is just 67. Pictured: Pedestrians in Sydney's CBD

Queensland

Resident's in Brisbane's Chermside and Centenary East celebrate more birthdays than the rest of Queensland, living to the median age of 87.

But those living in Spring Lakes, on the outskirts of Brisbane's south, have the lowest average life expectancy at just 57.

In regional areas, Driver, Gray, Moulden and Woodroffe topped the list at 86.

The Queensland mining town of Mount Isa had the lowest life expectancy at just 67 years.

South Australia

Adelaide's Unley and Parkside have the highest life expectancy in the state at 89 years.

But Adelaide City and Two Wells have the lowest life expectancy at 69 years.

Nuriootpa and Tanunda, north of Adelaide, topped the list for regional areas, where residents live to 86 years of age.

The remote Aboriginal community near the border of the Northern Territory known as APY Lands was the rural postcode with the lowest median age of death at just 53 years.

Resident’s in Brisbane’s Chermside and Centenary East celebrate more birthdays than the rest of Queensland, living to the median age of 87. A life guard patrols a Brisbane waterway

Resident's in Brisbane's Chermside and Centenary East celebrate more birthdays than the rest of Queensland, living to the median age of 87. A life guard patrols a Brisbane waterway

Adelaide’s Unley and Parkside have the highest life expectancy in the state at 89 years. Pictured: Rundle Mall in Adelaide

Adelaide's Unley and Parkside have the highest life expectancy in the state at 89 years. Pictured: Rundle Mall in Adelaide

Western Australia

Residents in Perth's Manning and Waterford live longer than anywhere in the state, to the age of 87 years.

But life expectancy is lowest in the Perth suburbs of Forrestdale, Harrisdale, Piara Waters, where residents live to the median age of 62.

Albany on the southeast coastal tip of Western Australia topped the list for regional areas at 85 years.

While the Pilbara community of Newman recorded the shockingly low life expectancy of just 45 years - below anywhere else in Australia.

Tasmania

Mount Nelson, Sandy Bay and the South Hobart residents can expect to live until 86 years of age - higher than anywhere else in the state.

Hobart, Bridgewater and Gagebrook recorded the lowest average lifespan at just 67 years.

Newstead, Norwood, Youngtown, and Relbia topped the list for regional areas where life expectancy is 85 years.

While Quoiba and Spreyton have the lowest life expectancy at 69 years.

Residents in Perth’s Manning and Waterford live longer than anywhere in the state, to the age of 87 years. Pictured: Bartenders pour drinks at a Perth pub

Residents in Perth's Manning and Waterford live longer than anywhere in the state, to the age of 87 years. Pictured: Bartenders pour drinks at a Perth pub

Mount Nelson, Sandy Bay and the South Hobart residents can expect to live until 86 years of age - higher than anywhere else in the state. Pictured Sandy Bay

Mount Nelson, Sandy Bay and the South Hobart residents can expect to live until 86 years of age - higher than anywhere else in the state. Pictured Sandy Bay

Northern Territory

Darwin's Casuarina has the longest life expectancy of 76 years.

Driver, Gray, Moulden and Woodroffe came in at the bottom where residents only live the median age of 62.

In regional areas, the highest life expectancy was found to be Alice Springs town at 66 years.

While the outer parts of Alice Springs recorded had the lowest life expectancy at just 54 years.

Darwin’s Casuarina has the longest life expectancy of 76 years. Pictured: Children frolic in the Timor Sea after releasing some 40 baby flatback turtles at Casuarina Coastal Reserve in Darwin

Darwin's Casuarina has the longest life expectancy of 76 years. Pictured: Children frolic in the Timor Sea after releasing some 40 baby flatback turtles at Casuarina Coastal Reserve in Darwin