How two neighborhoods have 17-year life expectancy gap

WILMINGTON, N.C. (WWAY)– WWAY worked with the Cape Fear Collective on an investigation which shows the health gap in New Hanover is not just geographic, its deeply racial.

From line dancing to free blood pressure screenings, the Black Family Health Wellness Expo in Wilmington is bringing attention to the importance of health education and access in African American communities.

Organizers say the annual event is designed to connect residents with resources that promote healthier lifestyles while also confronting stark health disparities in the region.

“It’s important that they know where they’re getting resources, and there are resources available to them,” said Wendy Lofton, Chair of Health and Human Services for the Wilmington chapter of The Links Inc.

Lofton said the expo serves a dual purpose: offering immediate health services and raising awareness about long-standing inequities, particularly in predominantly African American neighborhoods like Portia Hines Park.

“A reason that this is important to us and to keep going — the life expectancy is a lot lower than others, and we want to change that,” Lofton said.

Data from local research group Cape Fear Collective highlights those disparities. In nearby Woodbury Forest — a neighborhood with a dense tree canopy, newer homes and convenient access to retail — residents have a life expectancy of nearly 86 years. In Portia Hines Park, life expectancy is just over 68 years — a gap of about 17 years.

For Portia Hines resident Daphne Nickson, access to basic resources can be a challenge. The nearest grocery store is about a 12-minute drive away.

“It’s too far away to walk,” Nickson said.

The neighborhood also faces infrastructure challenges, including aging sidewalks, fewer trees and older homes.

“It has severe housing issues,” said Anna Casey, a data scientist with Cape Fear Collective, which conducts lifestyle research across North Carolina.

Casey said the disparities extend beyond infrastructure. Compared to Woodbury Forest, Portia Hines Park experiences higher rates of poverty, food insecurity and limited access to grocery stores.

“We see a much higher poverty rate there,” Casey said. “We see higher food insecurity and hard access to grocery stores.”

Additional data comparing the two neighborhoods reveals significant gaps in disability rates, housing conditions, food security, poverty levels and health insurance coverage. Casey said those inequities begin early in life.

“The Black infant mortality rate is three times the white infant mortality rate in New Hanover County,” Casey said. “Statewide, it’s 2.7 times, which is also very bad.”

She added that the disparities in New Hanover County are even more than statewide averages.

“The white outcomes in New Hanover County are not just better than Black outcomes, they are better than the statewide outcomes,” Casey said. “They’re better than average white outcomes, and the Black outcomes in New Hanover County are worse than average Black outcomes across the state. It’s not just that the disparity is wide — it’s that it’s significantly wider than the rest of the state.”

The disparity in life expectancy and inequality, places New Hanover County in the top 7 percent of all U.S. counties.

The Coastal Journalism Hub will be presenting more stories, including an upcoming one on the rise of bicycle fatalities in the Cape Fear Region.