Redlining—a discriminatory practice of the mid-20th century that denied home loans in predominantly African American and minority neighborhoods—has long been linked to poor health outcomes. A new study from Texas A&M University School of Public Health reveals an even starker legacy: individuals exposed to redlining in 1940 faced an increased risk of earlier death later in life.
The term “redlining” originates from the maps produced by the Home Owners’ Loan Corporation (HOLC) between 1933 and 1954, which graded neighborhoods based on their perceived mortgage creditworthiness. Neighborhoods marked with a red line and given a “D” rating were deemed the least creditworthy, often reflecting racial and ethnic compositions rather than economic realities.
A New Link to Mortality
Researchers analyzed data from 961,719 individuals who lived in redlined neighborhoods in 1940, using Social Security records to track their ages at death. The findings, drawn from 30 of the nation’s largest cities, showed that individuals from these areas lived shorter lives compared to their peers from higher-graded neighborhoods.
“On average, those who lived in redlined neighborhoods in 1940 were 19.2 years old at the time and died at 76.8 years old,” the researchers note. “Adjusting for factors such as sex, race, and long-term neighborhood effects, we found that each one-unit drop in HOLC ranking—say, from an ‘A’ to a ‘B’—was associated with an 8% higher risk of death.”
Additionally, at age 65, individuals from redlined neighborhoods died approximately 1.44 years earlier than those from the highest-rated neighborhoods.
The Weight of Historical Decisions
Although the Fair Housing Act of 1968 outlawed redlining, the aftershocks of this systemic discrimination persist. HOLC maps, along with zoning laws and restrictive mortgage practices, helped cement racial segregation and disinvestment in minority communities, creating entrenched disparities that still shape health and economic outcomes.
“The forces behind housing access and development are multilayered, so we cannot attribute these associations solely to redlining,” the researchers caution. “Rather, they reflect the broader public and private practices encoded in the HOLC maps.”
Implications for Today
The study, while observational and unable to establish direct causation, highlights the long-term effects of structural inequalities. Policymakers aiming to address these disparities must consider the mechanisms through which historical discrimination continues to affect health and well-being.
By targeting the structural inequities rooted in housing policies, governments have the opportunity to mitigate the enduring impacts of redlining and promote greater equity in health and longevity. “Reshaping these legacies is essential if we are to dismantle the enduring consequences of systemic discrimination,” the authors conclude.
