Socioeconomic Inequality in Longevity: A Multidimensional Approach

Paul Bingley, Claus Thustrup Kreiner and Benjamin Ly Serena
Additional contact information
Paul Bingley: The Danish Center for Social Science Research
Claus Thustrup Kreiner: Department of Economics, University of Copenhagen
Benjamin Ly Serena: The ROCKWOOL Foundation Research Unit

No 25-14, CEBI working paper series from University of Copenhagen. Department of Economics. The Center for Economic Behavior and Inequality (CEBI)

Abstract: Socioeconomic inequality in longevity is typically measured using a single socioeconomic indicator such as education or income. We combine multiple indicators—education, income, occupation, wealth, and IQ scores—and apply machine learning to measure inequality in longevity. Using Danish population-wide data spanning 40 years, we track mortality for the 1942–44 birth cohorts from age 40 onwards to estimate life expectancy by socioeconomic status. Individuals at the top of the socioeconomic distribution live nearly 25 years longer than those at the bottom. The socioeconomic gradient in life expectancy becomes 50–150% steeper when using multiple indicators.

Keywords: Life Expectancy; Inequality; Machine Learning (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I14 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 34
Date: 2025-12-01
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:kud:kucebi:2514

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