A recent study analysed health data across all U.S. states to identify the top ten states where people live the longest. This exercise revealed Massachusetts to rank first on the list, although Florida has the highest physical activity level among its senior population, indicating its residents’ active and healthy lifestyle practices.
This review came from Ben’s Natural Health, who analysed health data focusing on individuals aged 60 and above. The study evaluated key factors influencing longevity, including physical activity, smoking rates, mortality, and senior population percentages.
The review also considered the quality of life index, access to dedicated healthcare providers, and overall health status. Each metric was equally weighted, resulting in a composite index that reflects health and life expectancy across the states. This produced the ‘Composite Longevity Index’.
The top ten was found to be:
- Massachusetts
- Maine
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- Vermont
- Florida
- Connecticut
- Rhode Island
- Idaho
- New York
The Composite Longevity Index evaluated key factors influencing life expectancy and well-being for individuals aged 60 and older, incorporating seven variables to offer a comprehensive view of senior health across states. Data on physical activity, smoking rates, early mortality, healthcare access, and other factors was gathered from official sources.
To produce the scores, each factor was standardized on a 0 to 10 scale, with 0 being the least favourable and 10 the most. Indicators that negatively impact longevity, such as smoking rates and early mortality, were inverted so higher scores reflect better outcomes. Following this, all factors were weighted equally, and the total score for each state was calculated by summing the scores across all indicators. These scores were then used to rank the states, with higher scores indicating better longevity outcomes.
With Massachusetts people live the longest with a composite score of 51.65. The state has a low early mortality rate of 1,900 per 100,000 seniors, paired with 97.4 percent of seniors having dedicated healthcare providers. A quality of life index of 62.65 also highlights the state’s supportive environment for its aging population.
Maine comes second with a composite index of 50.60, largely due to its high physical activity rate of 24.5 percent among seniors. New Hampshire ranks third, with a composite score of 49.84, helped by a relatively low early mortality rate of 2,000 and a high percentage of seniors reporting good health (50 percent).
New Jersey ranks fourth, with a composite index of 48.58. The state has one of the lowest smoking rates among seniors (7 percent) and a relatively low early mortality rate of 1,900. A high quality of life index of 62.01 further supports senior well-being. Vermont takes fifth place with a composite score of 48.49. While the state has a higher early mortality rate of 2,000, its quality of life index of 57.52 and a large percentage of physically active seniors (19.7 percent) helped boost its ranking.
Florida ranks sixth, earning a composite index of 48.43. It leads the nation in senior physical activity at 26.5 percent, promoting a healthy lifestyle. Connecticut ranks seventh with a composite index of 46.79. It has the lowest early mortality rate on the list, which, combined with strong healthcare access (96.5 percent), contributes to its high life expectancy.
Rhode Island ranks eighth, with a composite index of 46.24. The state’s high physical activity rate of 25.4 percent among seniors. Idaho secures ninth place with a composite score of 45.50. Finally, New York rounds out the top ten with a composite score of 45.46. The state boasts the second-highest physical activity level among seniors (25.5%) and a strong quality of life index (60.64).
