Where We Live | Place Matters Oregon

A collage of live environments including a house, someone walking their dog on a sidewalk, seniors sitting inside on a couch, kids playing soccer outside, etc.

Where we Live

We live in homes, neighborhoods and communities. We also live in our own skin, each of us a unique mix of attributes: Gender, age, ability, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, among others. Based on these factors, society may treat us differently—making it easier for some people to live a healthy life and harder for others.

Your place is more than your address

An older adult with strong social connections will likely live longer than one who is isolated.
Structural racism blocks people of color from higher levels of education and income, which
limits their access to healthy food, safe places to be active and medical care.
In the U.S., white people are much less likely to die from cancer than Black people, reflecting
longstanding economic and social disparities.
Children from high-poverty neighborhoods are more likely to have serious health problems.

In these and other ways, the places where we live affect how healthy we can be.

Explore the issues

Oregon’s LGBTQIA2S+ youth experience mental health concerns and isolation at greater levels than their peers. When they have supportive families, schools and communities, significant health improvements aren’t far behind.

LGBTQIA2S+ Youth
Few of us would say our lives have been easy or obstacle-free. But some Oregonians face extra barriers to a healthy life because of how society reacts to their race or ethnicity.

Racism is making us sick
Older and sicker don’t have to go together. Communities grow stronger when different generations learn from and rely on each other. When we dismantle barriers to healthy aging, we create better places for Oregonians of all ages.

Stronger ties, healthier seniors