Income is a key factor in overall health and health outcomes. Income has been shown to be connected to social status, quality of life, physical and mental health outcomes, and access to care. Individuals with higher incomes report greater satisfaction with health care and less concern about being able to afford necessary care. Income poverty is a risk factor for premature mortality as well as poor health.

At the community level, neighborhoods with higher-income households have an influence on health, influencing the availability of local resources including access to jobs, commerce, schools, and other resources that provide place-based health benefits.

Neighborhoods with less economic advantage have fewer recreation resources and higher densities of fast-food outlets. Health-related behaviors like healthy eating, abstaining from tobacco, and obtaining the recommended levels of exercise are associated with high income as well.

Income poverty during childhood can have lifetime consequences for children such as reduced educational attainment and higher rates of ill health later in life. Income poverty can impact multiple generations, especially for historically marginalized communities.