06 Sep U.S. Cities with Longest Life Expectancies in 2023 (Updated)
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10 U.S. Cities with Longest Life Expectancies [2023 Edition]
Several factors contribute to overall health, including living an active lifestyle, eating nutritious foods and maintaining a healthy body weight. Where you live seems to play a role as well. Researchers at Amra & Elma analyzed the latest data from Washington Post, CNN, and Oregonian to find 10 U.S. cities with longest life expectancies in 2023.
Certain cities in the United States have lower than average rates of obesity, heart disease and other non-communicable diseases that chip away at life span. However, there may be other attributes at play here. Research shows that climate, population density, and even living on a specific coast side may impact life longevity.
Recently, 10 U.S. cities were found to have special attributes that may be contributing to wellness of their residents. Some characteristics that may lead to the unusually long life spans include: high concentration of parks, availability of outdoor activities, warm climate, low crime, easy access to hospitals, large number of nearby universities, low poverty rate, high number of psychologist, and large amount of local restaurants.
Here are 10 U.S. cities with longest life expectancies in 2023:
1. Salem, Oregon – 85.9 years old [Oregonian]
Salem, Oregon is known for its beautiful lush, green landscape and its high concentration of parks. It has a ‘9 miles of urban trails’ which border the Willamette River in the downtown area [ 10 Great Urban Trails In The U.S.A. ]. The city’s slogan is called ‘where you can play’, which promotes their gorgeous outdoor activities that include bicycling.
According to the Oregonian, their outdoor activity may account for an unusually long lifespan. There is also a 60% higher than average density of people per square mile in the city . This means that there are more opportunities for exercise and socialization with other local residents.
2. Honolulu, Hawaii – 84.3 years old [CNN]
With its beautiful, sunny beaches and warm climate, Honolulu is where people live to a ripe old age of 84.3 years. Residents of Honolulu have higher education rates than the nation as a whole , making it easier for them to find jobs that offer health benefits and other living necessities.
Additionally, Honolulu is home to the 10th best hospital in the country , leading to an increase in medical research and healthcare technology. Honolulu’s hospitals also provide easy access to routine check-ups and tests that can help to prevent disease.
3. San Jose, California – 84.3 years old [CNN]
San Jose, California’s life expectancy is 84.3 years old. The city has a higher than average number of people per square mile , and it is the safest major U.S. metro area for 10 straight years . It also has an above average proportion of residents who name their city as “the best place to live” .
San Jose’s beautiful landscape and great weather may contribute to its long life expectancy. With average summer highs in the upper 70s, residents of San Jose can enjoy sunny days that often include a picnic or barbecue with friends and family. Furthermore, it has high home values and low crime rates, which means many people in the city have the resources and opportunities for healthy lifestyles.
4. San Diego, California – 83.6 years old [Washington Post]
San Diego is known for its dreamy beaches and sunny weather. Perhaps it is the gorgeous landscapes combined with a low poverty rate that lead to an average life expectancy of 83.6 years old. San Diego also has 10 hospitals within 10 miles and easy to find hospital parking, which gives residents access to medical equipment, research facilities, and top doctors.
San Diego’s year-round warm temperatures and clear days may also contribute to its high life expectancy. In fact, the city has been found to have more sunny days than Miami or Honolulu . With an average of 10 hours of sunshine every day , there are plenty opportunities for outdoor activities each day.
5. Austin, Texas – 82.8 years old* [Washington Post]
Austin, Texas has an average life expectancy of 82.8 years old. Additionally, it is found to be the ‘most educated’ city by Forbes . With 10 colleges and universities within 10 miles , including the University of Texas at Austin, there are many good job opportunities for residents. With these jobs come health benefits that can assist with the cost of living.
Austin’s high life expectancy may be partly due to its above average number of people per square mile. In addition to frequent social interaction, it is one of the 10 healthiest cities in the U.S , which means residents are likely eating healthy foods and engaging in active lifestyles throughout their daily routines.
6. Seattle, Washington – 82 years old [Washington Post]
Seattle, Washington has 10 hospitals within 10 miles, which gives residents better access to regular medical examinations. This may contribute to the city’s high life expectancy of 82 years old . Seattle is said to have one of the 10 best climates in America , which means that the opportunity for outdoor activities are endless.
Seattle’s relative affordability , high home values, and low poverty rates may also contribute to its high life expectancy. While Seattle is not free of crime or stress, it does have 10 times the national average of restaurants per 10,000 people . This means that residents can still enjoy their evenings out on date nights or family dinners without necessarily breaking the bank.
7. Fremont, California – 81.8 years old [Washington Post]
Fremont, California has 10 hospitals within 10 miles and one of the 10 best climates in America. These factors may contribute to its average life expectancy of 81.8 years old . Fremont also has 10 times the national average of restaurants per 10,000 people, which means residents have plenty of options for socializing that won’t cost them an arm and a leg.
Fremont’s 10 colleges and universities within 10 miles may also contribute to its high life expectancy. Fremont is home to many tech companies, including Tesla Motors , which attracts residents with above average salaries . All these factors combined could be responsible for Fremont’s 10 times the national average of hospital beds per 10,000 people.
8. San Francisco, California – 81.4 years old [Washington Post]
San Francisco, California has 10 universities and 10 hospitals within 10 miles, and this may contribute to its life expectancy of 81.4 years old . Additionally, San Francisco has 10 times the national average of psychiatrists per 10,000 people , which means that residents have access to doctors who specialize in mental health fields. The availability of these services means that residents can more readily seek help for issues related to stress or anxiety.
9. Colorado Springs, Colorado – 80.9 years old [Washington Post]
Colorado Springs, Colorado has 10 colleges and universities within 10 miles , which may result to an increased chance for its residence to earn good jobs with high paying positions. This could contribute to the city’s average life expectancy of 80.8 years old . Additionally, it is one of 10 healthiest cities in the U.S , so its residents are likely to be eating healthy meals and engaging in regular physical activity.
Colorado Spring’s 10 times the national average of psychologists per 10,000 people may also extend its residents’ lifespans. The city has 10 health care facilities within 10 miles , which means that it is likely easy for residents to access preventative medical services throughout their lives.
10. Portland, Oregon – 80.7 years old [Washington Post]
Aside from living in a state with low air pollution, clean water, and good traffic conditions , Portland’s residents have an average life expectancy of 10 years longer than the rest of Oregon.
Portland is one out of 10 cities that has a higher than average population density at 5 ,491.7 people per square mile , meaning more opportunities for healthy socialization and exercise. Additionally, 10 out of 10 states with the highest average income levels in the United States are located in the Pacific Northwest
General Attributes of U.S. Cities with Longest Life Expectancies
Factors that may contribute to long lifespans include high concentration of parks, high socialization rates, easy access to hospitals and medial staff, access to good education and high paying jobs with good benefits, affordable living, and warm climate with high number of sunny days. Cities with longest life expectancies seem to have better than average a combination of these factors with Salem, Oregon leading the way with 85.9 years to other Oregon city coming in at the 10th position on our list with 80.7 years old.