Life expectancy in the United States has either fallen or remained flat over the last few years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The average life expectancy at birth is 78.6 years, down from 78.9 years in 2014. Life expectancy is one of the main measures of a population’s overall health, so the declines are concerning.
Still, life expectancy varies significantly across the United States. Different aspects, from socioeconomic factors to climate to culture and behaviors can affect life expectancy in an area. And there are some parts of the country where the average resident can expect to live several years longer than the average American.
To determine the counties where people live the longest, 24/7 Tempo reviewed 2014 county-level life expectancy at birth figures from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, a global research center affiliated with the University of Washington. Independent cities or census areas, which are treated as county equivalents by the U.S. Census Bureau, were not included in our analysis.
Residents of counties with longer life expectancy tend to exhibit the kind of healthy behaviors that can help lead to longer lives. Relatively fewer adults in these counties smoke or are obese, and more tend to be physically active. Not surprisingly, based on behavioral measures like these, many of these counties rank among the healthiest in the country. Here is the full list of the healthiest counties by state.
The association between wealth and longevity is not fully understood but well established. According to a 2016 study published in the Lancet, the richest 1% of Americans live on average nearly 15 years longer than the poorest 1%. In 44 of the 50 counties on this list, the poverty rate is lower than the national rate of 14.6%.
In fact, many of these counties are high-income areas — some even rank among the wealthiest counties in the country. Here is a full list of the richest counties by state.
Click here to see the counties where people live the longest
Click here to read our methodology
Source: n8nhale / Flickr
50. Ozaukee County, Wisconsin
> Life expectancy: 82.13 years
> Largest place in county: Mequon
> Change in life expectancy, 1980-2014: +7.1%
> Poverty: 5.9%
> Adult obesity: 23.9%
[in-text-ad]
Source: walencienne / Getty Images
49. Storey County, Nevada
> Life expectancy: 82.13 years
> Largest place in county: N/A
> Change in life expectancy, 1980-2014: +7.6%
> Poverty: 7.7%
> Adult obesity: 27.2%
Source: Scott Romine / Wikimedia Commons
48. Bremer County, Iowa
> Life expectancy: 82.14 years
> Largest place in county: Waverly
> Change in life expectancy, 1980-2014: +6.6%
> Poverty: 7.7%
> Adult obesity: 34.2%
Source: Ammodramus / Wikimedia Commons
47. Hayes County, Nebraska
> Life expectancy: 82.14 years
> Largest place in county: Hayes Center
> Change in life expectancy, 1980-2014: +6.2%
> Poverty: 9%
> Adult obesity: 33.4%
[in-text-ad-2]
Source: afiler / Flickr
46. Oliver County, North Dakota
> Life expectancy: 82.19 years
> Largest place in county: Center
> Change in life expectancy, 1980-2014: +6.3%
> Poverty: 3.1%
> Adult obesity: 33.9%
Source: Josip_Brombauer / Getty Images
45. Nassau County, New York
> Life expectancy: 82.21 years
> Largest place in county: Hempstead
> Change in life expectancy, 1980-2014: +10.6%
> Poverty: 5.9%
> Adult obesity: 23.2%
[in-text-ad]
Source: Nic McPhee / Wikimedia Commons
44. Stevens County, Minnesota
> Life expectancy: 82.22 years
> Largest place in county: Morris
> Change in life expectancy, 1980-2014: +7.2%
> Poverty: 15.4%
> Adult obesity: 31.9%
Source: dougtone / Flickr
43. Olmsted County, Minnesota
> Life expectancy: 82.24 years
> Largest place in county: Rochester
> Change in life expectancy, 1980-2014: +6.2%
> Poverty: 9.1%
> Adult obesity: 26.1%
Source: Ron and Patty Thomas / Getty Images
42. Orange County, California
> Life expectancy: 82.27 years
> Largest place in county: Anaheim
> Change in life expectancy, 1980-2014: +8.0%
> Poverty: 12.1%
> Adult obesity: 19.5%
[in-text-ad-2]
Source: Alex Potemkin / Getty Images
41. Westchester County, New York
> Life expectancy: 82.29 years
> Largest place in county: Yonkers
> Change in life expectancy, 1980-2014: +9.6%
> Poverty: 9.4%
> Adult obesity: 20.7%
Source: afiler / Flickr
40. Slope County, North Dakota
> Life expectancy: 82.36 years
> Largest place in county: Marmarth
> Change in life expectancy, 1980-2014: +6.6%
> Poverty: 6.8%
> Adult obesity: 28.3%
[in-text-ad]
Source: TSolie / Getty Images
39. Park County, Colorado
> Life expectancy: 82.37 years
> Largest place in county: Fairplay
> Change in life expectancy, 1980-2014: +9.0%
> Poverty: 6.6%
> Adult obesity: 20.6%
Source: kenlund / Flickr
38. Summit County, Utah
> Life expectancy: 82.39 years
> Largest place in county: Park City
> Change in life expectancy, 1980-2014: +7.6%
> Poverty: 7.5%
> Adult obesity: 15.2%
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
37. McPherson County, Nebraska
> Life expectancy: 82.41 years
> Largest place in county: N/A
> Change in life expectancy, 1980-2014: +7.8%
> Poverty: 16%
> Adult obesity: 30.5%
[in-text-ad-2]
Source: sbamueller / Flickr
36. Sheridan County, North Dakota
> Life expectancy: 82.44 years
> Largest place in county: McClusky
> Change in life expectancy, 1980-2014: +6.3%
> Poverty: 15.4%
> Adult obesity: 36%
Source: dougtone / Flickr
35. Hunterdon County, New Jersey
> Life expectancy: 82.45 years
> Largest place in county: Flemington
> Change in life expectancy, 1980-2014: +8.9%
> Poverty: 4.5%
> Adult obesity: 20.8%
[in-text-ad]
Source: andykazie / Getty Images
34. Bergen County, New Jersey
> Life expectancy: 82.47 years
> Largest place in county: Hackensack
> Change in life expectancy, 1980-2014: +9.6%
> Poverty: 7.2%
> Adult obesity: 23%
24/7 Wall St.
Source: OlegAlbinsky / Getty Images
33. Rockland County, New York
> Life expectancy: 82.54 years
> Largest place in county: New City
> Change in life expectancy, 1980-2014: +10.5%
> Poverty: 14.2%
> Adult obesity: 23.7%
Source: Ammodramus / Wikimedia Commons
32. Sioux County, Nebraska
> Life expectancy: 82.57 years
> Largest place in county: Harrison
> Change in life expectancy, 1980-2014: +8.1%
> Poverty: 12.4%
> Adult obesity: 27.3%
[in-text-ad-2]
Source: roadgeek / Flickr
31. Winneshiek County, Iowa
> Life expectancy: 82.62 years
> Largest place in county: Decorah
> Change in life expectancy, 1980-2014: +7.0%
> Poverty: 8%
> Adult obesity: 32.1%
Source: bauhaus1000 / Getty Images
30. Routt County, Colorado
> Life expectancy: 82.73 years
> Largest place in county: Steamboat Springs
> Change in life expectancy, 1980-2014: +9.0%
> Poverty: 10.7%
> Adult obesity: 14.2%
[in-text-ad]
Source: Adam-Springer / Getty Images
29. Grand County, Colorado
> Life expectancy: 82.73 years
> Largest place in county: Granby
> Change in life expectancy, 1980-2014: +9.4%
> Poverty: 13.1%
> Adult obesity: 16.3%
Source: benedek / Getty Images
28. Arlington County, Virginia
> Life expectancy: 82.76 years
> Largest place in county: Arlington
> Change in life expectancy, 1980-2014: +8.9%
> Poverty: 8.2%
> Adult obesity: 19.6%
Source: Bobak Ha'Eri / Wikimedia Commons
27. Carver County, Minnesota
> Life expectancy: 82.80 years
> Largest place in county: Chaska
> Change in life expectancy, 1980-2014: +8.0%
> Poverty: 4%
> Adult obesity: 23.5%
[in-text-ad-2]
Source: Ammodramus / Wikimedia Commons
26. Wayne County, Nebraska
> Life expectancy: 82.82 years
> Largest place in county: Wayne
> Change in life expectancy, 1980-2014: +6.7%
> Poverty: 13.5%
> Adult obesity: 33.3%
Source: Josejuan05 / Wikimedia Commons
25. Sioux County, Iowa
> Life expectancy: 82.86 years
> Largest place in county: Sioux Center
> Change in life expectancy, 1980-2014: +6.0%
> Poverty: 7.9%
> Adult obesity: 28%
[in-text-ad]
Source: Nikolay Tsuguliev / Getty Images
24. Mono County, California
> Life expectancy: 82.96 years
> Largest place in county: Mammoth Lakes
> Change in life expectancy, 1980-2014: +9.1%
> Poverty: 9.9%
> Adult obesity: 23.4%
Source: AppalachianViews / Getty Images
23. Howard County, Maryland
> Life expectancy: 82.98 years
> Largest place in county: Columbia
> Change in life expectancy, 1980-2014: +10.4%
> Poverty: 5.2%
> Adult obesity: 24.4%
Source: shanecotee / Getty Images
22. Blaine County, Idaho
> Life expectancy: 82.99 years
> Largest place in county: Hailey
> Change in life expectancy, 1980-2014: +8.0%
> Poverty: 14.8%
> Adult obesity: 17.6%
[in-text-ad-2]
Source: milda79 / iStock
21. Ouray County, Colorado
> Life expectancy: 83.00 years
> Largest place in county: Ridgway
> Change in life expectancy, 1980-2014: +8.5%
> Poverty: 10.4%
> Adult obesity: 19.3%
Source: AlexiusHoratius / Wikimedia Commons
20. Lincoln County, South Dakota
> Life expectancy: 83.03 years
> Largest place in county: Sioux Falls
> Change in life expectancy, 1980-2014: +7.5%
> Poverty: 3%
> Adult obesity: 29.6%
[in-text-ad]
Source: simplycmb / Getty Images
19. Leelanau County, Michigan
> Life expectancy: 83.10 years
> Largest place in county: Greilickville
> Change in life expectancy, 1980-2014: +9.4%
> Poverty: 7.7%
> Adult obesity: 30.8%
Source: SpVVK / Getty Images
18. San Mateo County, California
> Life expectancy: 83.11 years
> Largest place in county: Daly City
> Change in life expectancy, 1980-2014: +9.8%
> Poverty: 7.3%
> Adult obesity: 21.3%
Source: SpVVK / iStock
17. Santa Clara County, California
> Life expectancy: 83.14 years
> Largest place in county: San Jose
> Change in life expectancy, 1980-2014: +9.7%
> Poverty: 8.6%
> Adult obesity: 19.8%
[in-text-ad-2]
Source: John Athayde Yorktown / Wikimedia Commons
16. Loudoun County, Virginia
> Life expectancy: 83.19 years
> Largest place in county: Leesburg
> Change in life expectancy, 1980-2014: +12.5%
> Poverty: 3.7%
> Adult obesity: 22.7%
Source: Ebyabe / Wikimedia Commons
15. Collier County, Florida
> Life expectancy: 83.43 years
> Largest place in county: Golden Gate
> Change in life expectancy, 1980-2014: +12.0%
> Poverty: 12.8%
> Adult obesity: 21.4%
[in-text-ad]
Source: Justinreznick / iStock
14. Teton County, Wyoming
> Life expectancy: 83.46 years
> Largest place in county: Jackson
> Change in life expectancy, 1980-2014: +9.3%
> Poverty: 6.8%
> Adult obesity: 13.6%
24/7 Wall St.
Source: Dean_Fikar / iStock
13. Los Alamos County, New Mexico
> Life expectancy: 83.49 years
> Largest place in county: Los Alamos
> Change in life expectancy, 1980-2014: +7.4%
> Poverty: 5.1%
> Adult obesity: 21.3%
Source: BOB WESTON / Getty Images
12. Hinsdale County, Colorado
> Life expectancy: 83.66 years
> Largest place in county: Lake City
> Change in life expectancy, 1980-2014: +9.0%
> Poverty: 12%
> Adult obesity: 19.5%
[in-text-ad-2]
Source: Michael Feist / Wikimedia Commons
11. San Juan County, Washington
> Life expectancy: 83.70 years
> Largest place in county: Friday Harbor
> Change in life expectancy, 1980-2014: +8.1%
> Poverty: 10.7%
> Adult obesity: 19.5%
Source: SWKrullImaging / Getty Images
10. Douglas County, Colorado
> Life expectancy: 83.72 years
> Largest place in county: Highlands Ranch
> Change in life expectancy, 1980-2014: +8.9%
> Poverty: 3.6%
> Adult obesity: 18.6%
[in-text-ad]
Source: earleliason / Getty Images
9. Presidio County, Texas
> Life expectancy: 83.72 years
> Largest place in county: Presidio
> Change in life expectancy, 1980-2014: +11.2%
> Poverty: 26.3%
> Adult obesity: 27.6%
24/7 Wall St.
Source: JacobH / Getty Images
8. Fairfax County, Virginia
> Life expectancy: 83.73 years
> Largest place in county: Reston
> Change in life expectancy, 1980-2014: +9.2%
> Poverty: 6.1%
> Adult obesity: 23.2%
Source: SEASTOCK / iStock
7. San Miguel County, Colorado
> Life expectancy: 83.73 years
> Largest place in county: Telluride
> Change in life expectancy, 1980-2014: +7.9%
> Poverty: 10.5%
> Adult obesity: 17.6%
[in-text-ad-2]
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
6. Aleutians East Borough, Alaska
> Life expectancy: 83.73 years
> Largest place in county: Sand Point
> Change in life expectancy, 1980-2014: +18.3%
> Poverty: 16.7%
> Adult obesity: 39.5%
Source: Spondylolithesis / Getty Images
5. Marin County, California
> Life expectancy: 83.80 years
> Largest place in county: San Rafael
> Change in life expectancy, 1980-2014: +10.8%
> Poverty: 8.1%
> Adult obesity: 18.2%
[in-text-ad]
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
4. Billings County, North Dakota
> Life expectancy: 84.04 years
> Largest place in county: Medora
> Change in life expectancy, 1980-2014: +5.8%
> Poverty: 10.3%
> Adult obesity: 30.1%
24/7 Wall St.
Source: Adventure_Photo / Getty Images
3. Eagle County, Colorado
> Life expectancy: 85.94 years
> Largest place in county: Edwards
> Change in life expectancy, 1980-2014: +11.3%
> Poverty: 7.7%
> Adult obesity: 13.8%
Source: Jonathan Ross / Getty Images
2. Pitkin County, Colorado
> Life expectancy: 86.52 years
> Largest place in county: Aspen
> Change in life expectancy, 1980-2014: +9.8%
> Poverty: 7.1%
> Adult obesity: 15.3%
[in-text-ad-2]
Source: skibreck / Getty Images
1. Summit County, Colorado
> Life expectancy: 86.83 years
> Largest place in county: Silverthorne
> Change in life expectancy, 1980-2014: +9.7%
> Poverty: 10.3%
> Adult obesity: 14.5%
Methodology
To determine the counties where people live the longest, 24/7 Tempo reviewed 2014 county-level life expectancy at birth figures provided by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), a global research center affiliated with the University of Washington. Data came from the report, “United States Life Expectancy Estimates by County 1980-2014.” Using death records data from the National Center for Health Statistics, researchers estimated age-specific mortality rates for U.S. counties from 1980 to 2014.
County-level poverty rates came from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2017 American Community Survey. Obesity rates came from The 2019 County Health Rankings & Roadmaps program, a collaboration between the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute.
Sponsored: Attention Savvy Investors: Speak to 3 Financial Experts – FREE
Ever wanted an extra set of eyes on an investment you’re considering? Now you can speak with up to 3 financial experts in your area for FREE. By simply
clicking here you can begin to match with financial professionals who can help guide you through the financial decisions you’re making. And the best part? The first conversation with them is free.
Click here to match with up to 3 financial pros who would be excited to help you make financial decisions.
Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.
Editors' Picks
