Australians face a postcode lottery when it comes to life expectancy, with new data revealing stark differences between regions. Residents in Sydney's inner-west suburbs enjoy the nation's highest average lifespan at nearly 87 years, while those in Greater Darwin and remote Northern Territory areas can expect to live just over 74 years. The east coast capitals dominate the list of healthiest regions, while areas such as Coffs Harbour-Grafton and Western Australia's Wheatbelt rank lower.

Life expectancy across Australia has risen dramatically over the past century, with boys and girls born today expected to live around 30 years longer than those born in the late nineteenth century. Despite overall improvements, significant gaps persist between socio-economically advantaged and disadvantaged communities, driven by chronic diseases and external causes like suicide and road accidents.

A recent study highlights that Australia has made progress in reducing these inequalities, setting it apart from other high-income countries. Notably, even in the most disadvantaged areas, Australians have a higher life expectancy than the national average in the United States. Australia currently ranks tenth globally for life expectancy, behind countries such as Switzerland, Japan, Spain, and Israel.