Special Report
Cities With the Longest Life Expectancy in Every State
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Life expectancy has increased rapidly in modern times and, as health care and technology continue to evolve, lives could get longer still. Babies born in the United States today are expected to live about a quarter of a century longer than babies born a century ago. However, there are large variances within the United States and life expectancy depends largely on where children are born and live. The differences are not only between states, but also between cities within each state.
24/7 Wall St. reviewed the city in each state that has the longest and shortest life expectancies at birth. A child born in the San Jose, California metro area is expected to live 83 years, the longest life expectancy of any U.S. area.
Social and economic factors are the primary drivers of longevity. Because poverty tends to contribute to premature death, the longest-living city residents in a given state tend to report lower poverty rates and higher incomes than residents of other metro areas in that state. In two- thirds of states, the metro area with the highest life expectancy also reported a higher median household income, and a lower poverty rate than the respective state figures.
Click here to see the 50 cities with the longest life expectancy in every state.
Click here to see the 50 cities with the shortest life expectancy in every state.
The cities with the longest life expectancy in a given state do not necessarily report strong economic and social factors compared to the nation as a whole. In Jackson, the life expectancy at birth of 75.6, while the highest in Mississippi, is still not higher than the national figure. In the longest-living metro area, the typical household earned more than the median American household income in only about half of states.
Behavior is also a major factor. Unhealthy eating habits and irregular exercise can contribute to a high obesity rate, for example, which increases the risk of contracting disease, which in turn can contribute to shorter lives. The obesity rates in a majority of each state’s longest-living metro area did not exceed the national obesity rate of 27.0%.
To determine the metropolitan areas with the longest — and shortest — life expectancy in each state, 24/7 Wall St. used county-level life expectancy data for 2010 from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, a global health research center affiliated with University of Washington. To obtain metro area life expectancy estimates, we mapped the counties to their corresponding metro areas and calculated the average life expectancy by sex across all counties in a given metro area, weighting it by 2010 decennial census population figures. Next, we calculated the weighted average of life expectancies by sex to arrive at an estimate of longevity. Twenty-nine metro areas did not match census records in 2010. In these cases, we added the 2010 county populations that currently make up the metropolitan area. Additionally, we used the percentage of residents who are physically inactive and obese, as well as the percentage of adults who smoke from County Health Rankings. To calculate metro area estimates for these measures, we used survey sample sizes and 2014 metro and county five-year population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. Data on median household income, poverty, educational attainment, and the uninsured rate also come from the ACS.
These are the cities with the longest life expectancy in every state.
1. Alabama
> Metro area:Daphne-Fairhope-Foley
> Life expectancy: 77.7 years
> Obesity rate: 25.0%
> Poverty rate: 12.7%
Alabama is not a particularly healthy state. In none of Alabama’s 12 metro areas are residents expected to live longer than the 78.5 year national average life expectancy. Residents of Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, however, are expected to get the closest, with a life expectancy of 77.7 years. Longevity often coincides with wealth and higher educational attainment. Not surprisingly, 89.0% of Daphne-Fairhope-Foley adult residents have at least a high school diploma, the highest share of any Alabama metro area. Similarly, a typical household in the metro area makes $48,461 a year, a higher median household income than in any Alabama metro other than Huntsville.
2. Alaska
> Metro area:Anchorage
> Life expectancy: 77.9 years
> Obesity rate: 27.5%
> Poverty rate: 9.9%
An average Anchorage metro area resident is expected to live 77.9 years, slightly lower than the 78.5 years expected for the average American. The city’s poverty rate of 9.9% is significantly lower than the 15.5% national poverty rate, as well as Alaska’s poverty rate of 11.2%, itself one of the lowest compared with other states. There is a monetary cost to a range of health-related items — from healthy food to exercise facility access to medical attention — and the lower poverty rate has likely helped improve health outcomes. Additionally, 81% of area residents are physically active, higher than both the state and national shares of active residents.
3. Arizona
> Metro area:Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale
> Life expectancy: 79.9 years
> Obesity rate: 23.3%
> Poverty rate: 17.2%
Phoenix area residents are among the least likely Americans to smoke or be obese. Just 16.2% are smokers, and just 23.3% are considered obese. By comparison, the national smoking and obesity rates were 20.0% and 27.0%, respectively. An average Arizona resident can expect to live 79.3 years, longer than the national average of 78.5 years — and residents of the Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale metro area are expected to live longer still. A typical metro area resident is expected to live 79.9 years, among the longest life expectancies in the country.
4. Arkansas
> Metro area:Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers
> Life expectancy: 78.2 years
> Obesity rate: 28.4%
> Poverty rate: 16.2%
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers metro area residents are among the least likely Americans to be physically active on a regular basis. More than 25% metro residents do not exercise regularly, compared to 23% of Americans. As a whole, Arkansas is not a particularly healthy state. None of the six metro areas in the state have life expectancies longer than the 78.5 year national average. However, the Fayetteville metro area’s life expectancy of 78.2 years is more than 2.5 years longer than the statewide average.
5. California
> Metro area:San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara
> Life expectancy: 82.7 years
> Obesity rate: 20.5%
> Poverty rate: 8.7%
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara residents are more likely than most Americans to abstain from smoking and less likely to be obese. The city’s smoking and obesity rates of 10.3% and 20.5% are substantially below the respective national levels, at 20.0% and 27.0%. The city’s poverty rate of 8.7% is nearly half the statewide poverty rate. Poverty is frequently a barrier to healthy living, and the lower poverty rate in the San Jose area has likely helped improve health outcomes. Perhaps as a result, an average San Jose area resident can expect to live 82.7 years, the longest average life expectancy at birth of any metro area in the country.
6. Colorado
> Metro area:Fort Collins
> Life expectancy: 81.0 years
> Obesity rate: 19.9%
> Poverty rate: 13.2%
An average Colorado resident can expect to live 79.6 years, longer than the national average of 78.5 years. Residents of the Fort Collins metro area are expected to live longer still. A typical resident is expected to live 81.0 years, among the longest life expectancies in the country. Long life expectancies may be the result of healthy behaviors and outcomes. Just 14.8% of the metro area’s adult residents are smokers, and just 19.9% are considered obese. By comparison, the national smoking and obesity rates are 20.0% and 27.0%, respectively.
7. Connecticut
> Metro area:Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk
> Life expectancy: 81.7 years
> Obesity rate: 19.6%
> Poverty rate: 8.9%
While Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk has the longest life expectancy of Connecticut’s four metro areas, residents of all of the state’s metro areas are expected to live longer lives than the average American. In addition to having among the lowest smoking and obesity rates in the country — at 12.0% and 19.6%, respectively — nearly 47% of adults in the Bridgeport metro area have at least a bachelor’s degree, roughly 9 percentage points higher than the comparable state rate, which is itself much higher than the national rate. The high educational attainment helps explain the high incomes in the Bridgeport area. A typical household in the area earns $85,925 annually, higher than all but three other metro areas nationwide.
8. Delaware
> Metro area:Dover
> Life expectancy: 76.8 years
> Obesity rate: 32.7%
> Poverty rate: 13.4%
The Dover metro area is the only metro area in Delaware, a state where health metrics are inline with national figures. However, many of the Dover area’s health measures are worse than the state’s. Nearly 33% of the metro’s population is obese, higher than the 28.2% of Delaware’s population that is obese. Additionally, 27.4% of Dover’s population reports no physical activity in its free time, roughly 4 percentage points higher than the state and the nation. Perhaps as a result, Dover residents are expected to live just 76.8 years on average, more than a full year less than their fellow Delawareans, and nearly two years less than Americans as a whole.
9. Florida
> Metro area:Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island
> Life expectancy: 82.4 years
> Obesity rate: 19.9%
> Poverty rate: 14.5%
At 82.4 years, the Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island metro area has the second longest life expectancy at birth of any metro area in the country. As in many other urban areas with high life expectancies, Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island residents are more likely than most Americans to abstain from smoking and less likely to be obese. The city’s poverty rate of 14.5% is also lower than the nation rate of 15.5%. The relatively low poverty rate may partially account for the area’s health outcomes.
10. Georgia
> Metro area:Gainesville
> Life expectancy: 78.8 years
> Obesity rate: 26.1%
> Poverty rate: 16.6%
An individual born in the Gainesville metro area residents is expected to live 78.8 years, slightly above the national average, but higher than the average life expectancy for Georgia residents. A typical Georgia resident is expected to live only 76.9 years. In fact, Gainesville is the only metro area in the state with an average life expectancy higher than that of the nation. In Columbus, the metro area with the shortest life expectancy in Georgia, residents’ lives are expected to be four years shorter than in Gainesville, one of the wider in-state gaps in life expectancy in the country.
11. Hawaii
> Metro area:Urban Honolulu
> Life expectancy: 80.9 years
> Obesity rate: 22.1%
> Poverty rate: 9.7%
Hawaii has the longest life expectancy of any state in the country at 80.6 years, two years longer than the national average. Residents of the Honolulu metro area can expect to live even longer — 80.9 years. Metro area residents are among the least likely Americans to smoke or be obese. Just 14.6% are smokers, and just 22.1% are considered obese. By comparison, the national smoking and obesity rates are 20.0% and 27.0%, respectively. Additionally, just 4.7% of Urban Honolulu residents do not have health insurance, which may contribute to the area’s high life expectancy.
12. Idaho
> Metro area:Boise City
> Life expectancy: 79.9 years
> Obesity rate: 26.6%
> Poverty rate: 13.9%
As in many other metro areas with high life expectancies, Boise City residents are more likely than most Americans to abstain from smoking, which may contribute to the area’s long life expectancy. Fewer than 17% of adults in the area report a smoking habit, lower than the national rate but just in line with the state rate. A typical Boise City area resident is expected to live 79.9 years, among the longest life expectancies in the country.
13. Illinois
> Metro area:Champaign-Urbana
> Life expectancy: 79.5 years
> Obesity rate: 27.6%
> Poverty rate: 22.1%
An average Illinois resident can expect to live 78.7 years, in line with the national average life expectancy at birth of 78.5. Individuals born in the state’s Champaign-Urbana metro area are expected to live longer — 79.5 years. Education may be one factor contributing to the metro area’s high life expectancy. More than 94% of adults in the area have at least a high school diploma, higher than the 88.2% of adults statewide and the 86.9% of adults nationwide with similar education. The college attainment rate, at 38.9% of adults in the area, is similarly high.
14. Indiana
> Metro area:Bloomington
> Life expectancy: 78.9 years
> Obesity rate: 24.3%
> Poverty rate: 24.1%
Just 10.2% of Bloomington metro area residents do not have health insurance. The strong coverage rate may contribute to the area’s life expectancy of 78.9 years. However, unlike other cities with high life expectancies, a relatively large share of the Bloomington area’s residents live in poverty. While just over 15% of Illinois and U.S. residents live in poverty, 24.1% of Bloomington residents do, one of the highest rates among U.S. metro areas.
15. Iowa
> Metro area:Ames
> Life expectancy: 80.8 years
> Obesity rate: 25.4%
> Poverty rate: 22.5%
An individual born in Iowa can expect to live 79.0 years, half a year longer than the average American. Residents of the Ames metro area are expected to live longer still. A typical Ames area resident is expected to live 80.8 years, one of the longest life expectancies in the country. Healthy habits such as a low smoking rate may be one reason for the long average life expectancy in the area. Just 10.7% of adults in the Ames metro area smoke, roughly 7 percentage points lower than the smoking rate statewide.
16. Kansas
> Metro area:Manhattan
> Life expectancy: 79.8 years
> Obesity rate: 27.9%
> Poverty rate: 19.6%
A typical resident of the Manhattan metro area can expect to live 79.8 years, nearly a year and a half longer than the average American. Education may be one factor driving longer life expectancies, as 96% of area adults have at least a high school diploma, and 45.8% of adults have at least a bachelor’s degree, the third and 12th highest rates among all metro areas, respectively. An educated population tends to have higher-paying jobs which help lower the barriers to healthy living. Educated individuals are also more likely to have acquired the knowledge necessary to stay healthy. Additionally, just 7.5% of the population does not have health insurance. The low uninsured rate may also contribute to the area’s high life expectancy.
17. Kentucky
> Metro area:Lexington-Fayette
> Life expectancy: 77.6 years
> Obesity rate: 28.6%
> Poverty rate: 18.2%
Lexington-Fayette metro area residents are among the least likely Americans to be physically active on a regular basis. As many as 24.7% of metro residents do not exercise regularly, compared to 23.0% of Americans. As a whole, Kentucky is not a particularly healthy state. All of the five metro areas located within state boundaries have shorter life expectancies than the 78.5 year national average, including Lexington-Fayette — the metro area with the longest life expectancy.
18. Louisiana
> Metro area:New Orleans-Metairie
> Life expectancy: 76.4 years
> Obesity rate: 31.8%
> Poverty rate: 18.1%
None of the metro areas in Louisiana has an average life expectancy higher than the 78.5 years expected nationwide. However, residents of the New Orleans metro area can expect to live the longest of any urban residents in the state, with a life expectancy at birth of 76.4 years. Relatively low obesity may be one factor contributing to low life expectancies. As many as 31.8% of metro area residents are obese, and statewide more than 34% of residents are obese. Both figures are higher than the 27% of Americans with obesity.
19. Maine
> Metro area:Portland-South Portland
> Life expectancy: 79.9 years
> Obesity rate: 24.0%
> Poverty rate: 11.0%
An average Maine resident can expect to live 78.7 years, in line with the national average. Residents of the Portland-South Portland metro area, however, are expected to live longer — 79.9 years, among the longest life expectancies in the country. As in many other states with high life expectancies, Portland-South Portland residents are more likely than most Americans to abstain from smoking and less likely to be obese. The city’s poverty rate of 11.0% is also quite low. This has likely helped improve health outcomes as poverty frequently contributes to poor health.
20. Maryland
> Metro area:California-Lexington Park
> Life expectancy: 78.3 years
> Obesity rate: 29.2%
> Poverty rate: 7.5%
California-Lexington Park metro area residents can expect to live 78.3 years, slightly lower than the national average of 78.5 years. However, the metro area still has the longest life expectancy among Maryland urban areas. The city’s exceptionally low poverty rate of 7.5% may contribute to its state-leading life expectancy. Additionally, a typical household in the metro area earns $86,417 annually, roughly $33,000 more than across the nation and $12,000 more than the median household income statewide. The elements of a healthy, long, life are often costly, and the high incomes in the California-Lexington Park metro area likely help explain the longevity among area residents.
21. Massachusetts
> Metro area:Boston-Cambridge-Newton
> Life expectancy: 80.5 years
> Obesity rate: 23.2%
> Poverty rate: 10.6%
Residents of the Boston-Cambridge-Newton metro area are among the least likely Americans to smoke or be obese. Just 14.0% of metro adults smoke, and just 23.2% are considered obese. By comparison, the national smoking and obesity rates are 20.0% and 27.0%, respectively. Perhaps as a result, the 80.5 year life expectancy at birth in Boston-Cambridge-Newton is the highest in Massachusetts and one of the highest in the country. High income and educational attainment may also factor into the area’s good health outcomes. The metro area is home to the highest median household income in the state and the highest concentration of adults with bachelor degrees in the U.S., at $75,667 a year and 45.2%, respectively.
22. Michigan
> Metro area:Ann Arbor
> Life expectancy: 80.5 years
> Obesity rate: 23.6%
> Poverty rate: 14.5%
As a whole, Michigan is a relatively unhealthy state. Michigan residents are expected to live for 77.8 years on average, less than the 78.5 year national average. In Ann Arbor, however, life expectancy is 80.5 years — the highest in the state and two years longer than the average American. Good health outcomes are likely a result of the relatively healthy behavior among Ann Arbor adults. In the metro area, 83.0% of residents exercise regularly, 23.6% are obese, and just 11.6% smoke. By comparison, 77.2% of Michigan adults as a whole exercise regularly, 31.6% are obese, and 19.7% smoke.
23. Minnesota
> Metro area:St. Cloud
> Life expectancy: 81.4 years
> Obesity rate: 27.5%
> Poverty rate: 14.6%
Life expectancy in Minnesota is 80.4 years, the third highest of any state and nearly two years longer than the average American. With a life expectancy of 81.4 years, St. Cloud residents are expected to live even longer. Unlike most cities with long-life expectancies, St. Cloud is also home to the largest share of obese adults in Michigan. The obesity rate in the metro area is 27.5%, higher than the statewide obesity rate of 25.9% and even higher than the national obesity rate of 27.0%.
24. Mississippi
> Metro area:Jackson
> Life expectancy: 75.6 years
> Obesity rate: 34.5%
> Poverty rate: 18.5%
Mississippi residents are expected to live for just 74.5 years on average, the shortest life expectancy of any state. While Jackson’s 75.6 year life expectancy is the highest in the state, it is still almost three years less than the 78.5 year national average. Jackson residents have slightly healthier behavior than Mississippi residents overall, but still fare far worse than the average American. Just 68.7% of Jackson residents exercise regularly and 34.5% are obese, compared to the corresponding national figures of 77.0% and 27.0%, respectively.
25. Missouri
> Metro area:Columbia
> Life expectancy: 79.2 years
> Obesity rate: 24.2%
> Poverty rate: 20.7%
Of the eight metro areas in Missouri, residents of just one are expected to live longer than the average American. The 79.2 year life expectancy in Columbia is the highest in Missouri and higher than the 78.5 year national average. Not surprisingly, the metro area is also home to some of the highest exercise and lowest obesity rates in the state. Of all Columbia adults, 79.0% exercise regularly and 24.2% are obese, both better than 73.7% of adults with a regular exercise habit in Missouri as a whole and the 30.9% who are obese.
26. Montana
> Metro area:Missoula
> Life expectancy: 79.0 years
> Obesity rate: 21.1%
> Poverty rate: 15.4%
Of Montana’s three metro areas, residents of just one — Missoula — have a higher life expectancy than an average American born today. Life expectancy in Missoula is 79.0 years, about half a year longer than the national average. As in many cities with longer life expectancies, Missoula adults are less likely than the average American to smoke or be obese. The 21.1% obesity rate in Missoula is lower than the 27.0% national rate. Similarly, 17.3% of Missoula adults smoke, compared to 20.0% of Americans overall.
27. Nebraska
> Metro area:Lincoln
> Life expectancy: 80.3 years
> Obesity rate: 26.4%
> Poverty rate: 14.0%
Nebraska is a relatively healthy state, and residents in all three of its metro areas are expected to live longer than the average American. In Lincoln, the 80.3 year life expectancy is the highest in Nebraska, and significantly higher than the 78.5 year national average. As in many cities with longer life expectancies, Lincoln residents are more likely to exercise and less likely to be obese than residents of the rest of the state’s metro areas. Of all Lincoln adults, 81.0% exercise regularly and 26.4% are obese — the highest and lowest such rates in the state, respectively.
28. Nevada
> Metro area:Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise
> Life expectancy: 78.0 years
> Obesity rate: 24.9%
> Poverty rate: 15.2%
As a whole, Nevada is not a particularly healthy state. Of the three metro areas within state boundaries, none have longer life expectancies than the average American. Even in Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, the metro area with the longest life expectancy in Nevada, residents are expected to live for half a year less than the national average of 78.5 years. Health insurance can help its recipients receive timely medical care and ultimately provide better health outcomes. The opposite is true in Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, where just 84.0% of residents have health insurance, the lowest coverage rate in Nevada.
29. New Hampshire
> Metro area:Manchester-Nashua
> Life expectancy: 80.2 years
> Obesity rate: 27.2%
> Poverty rate: 8.7%
The Manchester-Nashua metro area is the only metro area in New Hampshire, and is home to its highest life expectancy by default. Nevertheless, this ranking is well deserved. The 80.2 year life expectancy in Manchester-Nashua is higher than both the statewide and national life expectancies of 79.9 and 78.5 years, respectively. Manchester-Nashua is also home to a high median household income and a low poverty rate, which has likely contributed to its longer life expectancy. The typical household in the metro area earns $71,422 annually, far higher than the $53,657 national median household income. Similarly, the 8.7% poverty rate in Manchester-Nashua is the sixth lowest of any metro area in the nation.
30. New Jersey
> Metro area:Trenton
> Life expectancy: 79.3 years
> Obesity rate: 23.7%
> Poverty rate: 11.9%
Of the four metro areas in New Jersey, residents of just one — Trenton — are expected to live longer than the average American born today. Trenton’s 79.3 year life expectancy is the longest in New Jersey and almost a full year longer than the 78.5 year national average. As in many other cities with longer life expectancies, Trenton residents are more likely than most Americans to abstain from smoking and less likely to be obese. The 23.7% obesity rate in the metro area is lower than the 27.0% national rate, and the 13.3% smoking rate is considerably lower than the 20.0% national rate.
31. New Mexico
> Metro area:Santa Fe
> Life expectancy: 80.2 years
> Obesity rate: 14.2%
> Poverty rate: 14.2%
Santa Fe residents are expected to live for 80.2 years on average, longer than the 77.9 year life expectancy in New Mexico overall and the 78.5 year national average. Not surprisingly, Santa Fe residents are among the least likely Americans to smoke or be obese. Only 16.3% of Santa Fe adults smoke, compared to 20.0% of Americans as a whole. Similarly, at 14.2%, Santa Fe’s obesity rate is the lowest of any city in the country.
32. New York
> Metro area:New York-Newark-Jersey City
> Life expectancy: 80.5 years
> Obesity rate: 22.7%
> Poverty rate: 14.6%
New York residents are expected to live for 80.0 years on average, the sixth longest life expectancy of any state. At 80.5 years, life expectancy in New York-Newark-Jersey City is even longer. The metro area’s high life expectancy is likely the result of a number of factors. For one, the city’s 22.7% obesity rate is the lowest in the state. New York-Newark-Jersey City is also the wealthiest of New York’s 12 metro areas, which has likely contributed to its healthier outcomes. The typical household in the metro area earns $67,066 annually, the highest median household income in the state.
33. North Carolina
> Metro area:Raleigh
> Life expectancy: 79.9 years
> Obesity rate: 27.0%
> Poverty rate: 12.2%
Of North Carolina’s 15 metro areas, residents of just three — Raleigh, Wilmington, and Durham-Chapel Hill — are expected to live longer than the average American. Life expectancy in Raleigh is 79.9 years, the longest in North Carolina and longer than the 78.5 year national average. The area’s wealth likely contributed to its relatively good health outcomes. The $62,313 median household income is the highest in the state. Similarly, the 12.2% poverty rate is the lowest in North Carolina and lower than the 15.5% national rate.
34. North Dakota
> Metro area:Fargo
> Life expectancy: 79.8 years
> Obesity rate: 27.5%
> Poverty rate: 12.5%
Just 6.7% of Fargo metro area residents do not have health insurance, the lowest such rate among North Dakotan metro areas. High health coverage may contribute to the area’s high life expectancy, which at 79.8 years is the highest in the state and higher than the 78.5 year national average. Like many cities with longer life expectancies, Fargo residents also have healthier behavior than state residents overall. The 16.2% of Fargo adults who smoke is less than the 18.1% statewide rate. Similarly, the 27.5% obesity rate in Fargo is lower than the 29.5% rate for North Dakota as a whole.
35. Ohio
> Metro area:Canton-Massillon
> Life expectancy: 78.1 years
> Obesity rate: 31.0%
> Poverty rate: 14.6%
Ohio is not a particularly healthy state, and not one of its 11 metro areas has a longer life expectancy than the national overall. While the 78.1 year life expectancy in Canton-Massillon is the longest in Ohio, it is still shorter than the 78.5 year national average. Widespread health coverage in the metro area has likely contributed to its relatively high life expectancy rate. Just 6.1% of area residents lack health insurance, the smallest such share of any Ohio metro area.
36. Oklahoma
> Metro area:Oklahoma City
> Life expectancy: 76.5 years
> Obesity rate: 30.8%
> Poverty rate: 15.3%
Oklahoma residents are expected to live for just 75.6 years on average, the fifth shortest life expectancy of any state. While the 76.5 year life expectancy in Oklahoma City is the longest of any metro area in Oklahoma, it is still two years shorter than the 78.5 year national average. While Oklahoma City residents exhibit some of the healthiest behaviors in the state, they are still less healthy than the average American by many measures. The 30.8% obesity rate is the lowest in Oklahoma, yet higher than the 27.0% national rate. Similarly, while the 22.8% of Oklahoma City adults who smoke is the smallest share in the state, it is a larger share than the 20.0% of Americans who smoke overall.
37. Oregon
> Metro area:Corvallis
> Life expectancy: 81.2 years
> Obesity rate: 20.8%
> Poverty rate: 20.4%
The long life expectancy in Corvallis appears to be the result of a number of factors. For one, the city’s smoking and obesity rates are among the lowest in the country, at 10.8% and 20.8%, respectively. Also, just 7.6% of Corvallis metro area residents do not have health insurance, compared to the 9.7% uninsured rate in Oregon and the 11.7% uninsured rate for the country overall. Unlike most cities with longer life expectancies, poverty is relatively widespread in Corvallis. More than one-fifth of Corvallis residents live below the poverty line, the highest rate in the state and higher than the 15.5% national rate.
38. Pennsylvania
> Metro area:State College
> Life expectancy: 80.4 years
> Obesity rate: 23.9%
> Poverty rate: 18.6%
Of Pennsylvania’s 18 metro areas, residents in 10 of them are expected to live longer than the average American. In State College, the 80.4 year life expectancy is the highest in Pennsylvania and almost two years longer than the 78.5 year national average. As in many other states with high life expectancies, State College residents were more likely than most Americans to abstain from smoking and less likely to be obese. Just 12.2% of State College adults smoke, and just 23.9% are considered obese. By comparison, the national smoking and obesity rates are 20.0% and 27.0%, respectively.
39. Rhode Island
> Metro area:Providence-Warwick
> Life expectancy: 79.1 years
> Obesity rate: 27.0%
> Poverty rate: 13.6%
The Providence-Warwick metro area is the only metro area in Rhode Island, and is home to the longest life expectancy in the state by default. Nevertheless, this ranking is well deserved. The 79.1 year life expectancy is higher than the 78.5 year national average. Not surprisingly, Providence-Warwick adults are healthier than the average American by many health measures. The metro area’s 17.8% smoking rate is lower than the 20.0% national figure.
40. South Carolina
> Metro area:Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort
> Life expectancy: 80.3 years
> Obesity rate: 24.3%
> Poverty rate: 14.1%
South Carolina residents are expected to live for just 76.5 years on average, two years less than the 78.5 year national average. Of the state’s eight metro areas, residents of just one — Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort — are expected to live longer than the average American. The metro area’s 80.3 year life expectancy is 2.7 years longer than the next highest life expectancy in the state and 6.6 years longer than the lowest. Nevertheless, not all residents in the area are expected to live so long. Residents of Jasper County, one of two counties within the Hilton Head metro area, are expected to live just 73.5 years on average, nearly eight years less than the residents of nearby Beaufort County.
41. South Dakota
> Metro area:Sioux Falls
> Life expectancy: 79.5 years
> Obesity rate: 27.6%
> Poverty rate: 9.7%
Of the two metro areas in South Dakota, Sioux Falls has the longest life expectancy. The 79.5 year life expectancy in Sioux Falls is longer than the 79.1 year average in Rapid City and a full year longer than the 78.5 year national life expectancy. Not surprisingly, Sioux Falls is home to a lower smoking rate and higher median household income than Rapid City as well. The 16.0% smoking rate is the lowest in the state, and the $58,849 median household income is the highest.
42. Tennessee
> Metro area:Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin
> Life expectancy: 77.2 years
> Obesity rate: 31.0%
> Poverty rate: 15.1%
Residents of Tennessee are expected to live for 76.1 years on average, the eighth shortest life expectancy of any state. While the 77.2 year life expectancy in the Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin metro area is the longest in the state, it is still 1.3 years less than that of the average American. While metro area adults are healthier than state residents as a whole by many measures, such as obesity and smoking rates, they are still less healthy than those of the nation overall. Not surprisingly, Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin has the highest median household income in the state. The typical metro area household earns $52,640 annually, over $8,000 more than the $44,361 median household income for Tennessee as a whole.
43. Texas
> Metro area:McAllen-Edinburg-Mission
> Life expectancy: 80.4 years
> Obesity rate: 34.0%
> Poverty rate: 34.0%
Of the 25 metro areas in Texas, nine have longer life expectancies than the average American. In McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, the 80.4 year life expectancy is the longest in the state and almost two years longer than the 78.5 year national average. Unlike most cities with longer life expectancies, McAllen-Edinburg-Mission is one of the least wealthy metro areas in the country. The typical household earns just $34,801 annually, the second lowest median household income in Texas and the third lowest in the nation. Similarly, 34.0% of McAllen-Edinburg-Mission residents live in poverty, the second largest percentage in the country, and more than double the national rate of 15.5%.
44. Utah
> Metro area:Logan
> Life expectancy: 81.0 years
> Obesity rate: 23.0%
> Poverty rate: 14.5%
The 81.0 year life expectancy in Logan is the highest in Utah and among the highest of any metro area in the country. This is likely due to the relatively healthy behavior among area adults. About 84% of Logan adults exercise regularly, a far higher share than the 77% of Americans who do overall. Similarly, the 23% obesity rate in Logan is lower than the 27% national rate, and the 5.5% of adults who smoke is nearly four times lower than the national proportion of adult smokers.
45. Vermont
> Metro area:Burlington-South Burlington
> Life expectancy: 80.6 years
> Obesity rate: 23.0%
> Poverty rate: 10.4%
The Burlington-South Burlington metro area is the only metro area in Vermont. Therefore, it is the longest living by default. Its life expectancy of 80.6 years, is only slightly higher than the statewide average of 79.5 years.
Residents throughout the Green Mountain state are among the healthiest in the country. Vermonters are less likely than most Americans to smoke or be obese. Just 16.1% of state residents report a smoking habit, and just 24.4% are considered obese. By comparison, the national smoking and obesity rates are 20.0% and 27.0%, respectively. As in many other cities with high life expectancies, Burlington residents are even less likely than their statewide counterparts to smoke or be obese. In Burlington, only 13.1% of adults smoke and the obesity rate is 23.0%.
46. Virginia
> Metro area:Charlottesville
> Life expectancy: 79.1 years
> Obesity rate: 27.1%
> Poverty rate: 14.2%
Life expectancy in Virginia is 78.5 years, the same as the average life expectancy for the typical American. Residents of the Charlottesville metro area are expected to live even longer, however. Average life expectancy among Charlottesville area residents is 79.1 years, one of the longest life expectancies in the country. Of the nine metro areas in Virginia, Charlottesville is one of only two where life expectancy exceeds the national average. Longer lives in Charlottesville may partially be due to the relative scarcity of at least one bad habit. Only 16.1% of metro area adults smoke, significantly less than the 20.0% of adults nationwide who report a smoking habit.
47. Washington
> Metro area:Bellingham
> Life expectancy: 80.9 years
> Obesity rate: 25.1%
> Poverty rate: 16.1%
An average Washington resident can expect to live 79.6 years, longer than the national average of 78.5 years, and residents of the Bellingham metro area are expected to live longer still. Life expectancy in Bellingham is 80.9 years, one of the the longest in the country. As in many other cities with high life expectancies, Bellingham residents are more likely than most Americans to abstain from smoking and less likely to be obese. Just 13.8% of adults in Bellingham report a smoking habit, and only 25.1% are considered obese. By comparison, the national smoking and obesity rates are 20.0% and 27.0%, respectively.
48. West Virginia
> Metro area:Morgantown
> Life expectancy: 78.2 years
> Obesity rate: 29.3%
> Poverty rate: 23.5%
As a whole, West Virginia is not an especially healthy state. None of the state’s seven metro areas have a longer life expectancy than the 78.5 year national average. In Morgantown, the metro area with the longest life expectancy, residents are less likely than most Americans to be physically active on a regular basis. Nearly 27% of the population does not exercise regularly, compared to 23% of Americans. Along with a lack of exercise, poverty is a major factor contributing to a shorter life expectancy, and Morgantown metro area residents are quite poor. Roughly 23.5% of the city’s population lives in poverty, significantly more than the 18.3% of West Virginians living below the poverty line.
49. Wisconsin
> Metro area:Madison
> Life expectancy: 80.9 years
> Obesity rate: 23.4%
> Poverty rate: 12.7%
An average Wisconsin resident can expect to live 79.3 years, longer than the national average of 78.5 years, and residents of the Madison metro area are expected to live longer still. A typical Madison area resident is expected to live 80.9 years, among the longest life expectancies in the country. As in many other cities with high life expectancies, Madison residents are less likely than most Americans to smoke or be obese. Just 16.1% of adults in Madison report a smoking habit, and just 23.4% are considered obese. By comparison, the national smoking and obesity rates are 20.0% and 27.0%, respectively. Just 5.9% of Madison metro area residents do not have health insurance, which may also contribute to the area’s high life expectancy.
50. Wyoming
> Metro area:Cheyenne
> Life expectancy: 77.6 years
> Obesity rate: 26.9%
> Poverty rate: 10.9%
Overall, Wyoming is not a particularly healthy state. Nationwide, life expectancy is 78.5 years. In Cheyenne, Wyoming’s longest-living city, the average life expectancy is only 77.6 years. Despite a shorter-than-average life expectancy, residents of Cheyenne are not more likely than average Americans to exhibit unhealthy habits. While 20% of American adults identify as smokers, just 19.2% of Cheyenne adults report a smoking habit. Additionally, only 22.1% of Cheyenne residents do not exercise, a slightly smaller share than the national rate of 23.0%.
Click here to see the cities with the shortest life expectancy in every state.
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