Living near power lines does not appear to increase the risk of dementia based on available research, as no direct studies link electromagnetic fields from power lines to higher dementia rates.
People often worry about power lines because they produce low-level electromagnetic fields, sometimes called EMF. These fields are a type of non-ionizing radiation, which means they lack the energy to damage DNA like X-rays do. For decades, scientists have studied EMF from power lines, cell phones, and appliances for possible health effects, including cancer and neurological issues. Childhood leukemia has been the main concern raised in some reports, but even there, proof remains weak and results mixed.
When it comes to dementia, a brain condition involving memory loss and thinking problems, no solid evidence points to power lines as a cause. Dementia risk factors that research does highlight include age, genetics, heart health, lack of exercise, poor diet, and limited education. For example, studies show that what you learn in school can affect brain health years later. One project from the University of Texas at Austin found that high school academic and economic factors predict cognitive performance in middle age. https://news.utexas.edu/2025/12/09/tackling-dementia-from-every-angle/ Better education seems to build brain resilience against decline.
Other research explores dairy intake and dementia. A study on low-fat dairy consumption looked at long-term risks but found no clear tie to power lines or EMF. https://www.neurology.org/doi/10.1212/WNL.0000000000214343 Similarly, work on apathy, depression, and dementia in older adults uses large community groups but skips any mention of environmental EMF exposure. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12746046/
Health agencies like the World Health Organization review EMF studies regularly. They classify power line fields as possibly carcinogenic based on limited leukemia data in kids, but they find no convincing link to dementia or adult brain diseases. Living near power lines might raise EMF exposure slightly, yet levels drop quickly with distance, often below everyday background fields from the earth or sun.
If concerned, simple steps help brain health overall: stay active, eat well, challenge your mind, and manage blood pressure. Tech use, like digital devices, may even protect against cognitive drop, per recent findings. https://news.utexas.edu/2025/12/09/tackling-dementia-from-every-angle/
Sources
https://news.utexas.edu/2025/12/09/tackling-dementia-from-every-angle/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12746046/
https://www.neurology.org/doi/10.1212/WNL.0000000000214343
