The 10 Best States for a Long and Healthy Life

If you hope to live for a long time, a healthy lifestyle is probably the single most important thing you can do to increase the number of years you have on this planet.

With that in mind, wellness website Life Extension recently used federal data to determine which states have the best combination of long lifespans and healthy lifestyles.

The lifespan component of Life Extension’s overall ranking is based on the life expectancy at birth in each state.

The lifestyle component of the overall ranking was based on eight factors — both positive and negative — including the percentages of:

• Adults who exercised in the past month
• Population living within a half-mile of a park or school
• Adults who eat fruit and vegetables every day
• Adults with insufficient sleep
• Adults at a healthy weight
• Single-person households
• Adults with anxiety symptoms
• State GDP spend for outdoor recreation

Following are the states where citizens have the best chance of both a long and healthy life.

Oregon

This state’s:

• Overall ranking: No. 10
• Life expectancy at birth: 78.8 years
• Healthy lifestyle ranking: No. 12

Several communities in Oregon have become certified Blue Zone Projects, where citizens and community leaders work together to try to foster more healthful lifestyles.

California

This state’s:

• Overall ranking: No. 9
• Life expectancy at birth: 79 years
• Healthy lifestyle ranking: No. 14

California has one of the lowest rates of obesity in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Massachusetts

This state’s:

• Overall ranking: No. 8
• Life expectancy at birth: 79 years
• Healthy lifestyle ranking: No. 11

Years before Congress passed the Affordable Care Act, Massachusetts was the first state to mandate that all citizens carry some type of health insurance coverage.

Colorado

This state’s:

• Overall ranking: No. 7
• Life expectancy at birth: 78.3 years
• Healthy lifestyle ranking: No. 2

Colorado residents are famously active, which helps account for their place on this list. The state is home to dozens of state parks and four national parks.

Utah

This state’s:

• Overall ranking: No. 6
• Life expectancy at birth: 78.6 years
• Healthy lifestyle ranking: No. 3

Folks in Utah take education seriously. The high school graduation rate tops 90%, and about one-third of residents hold a bachelor’s degree. With some studies linking education to healthy behaviors, that may contribute to the state’s high ranking on this list.

New Hampshire

This state’s:

• Overall ranking: No. 5
• Life expectancy at birth: 79 years
• Healthy lifestyle ranking: No. 7

New Hampshire gets high marks for having low rates of premature death, food insecurity and income inequality.

Washington

This state’s:

• Overall ranking: No. 4
• Life expectancy at birth: 79.2 years
• Healthy lifestyle ranking: No. 8

In the five years after 2012, the rate of smoking in Washington dropped from 17.5% of the population to 13.9%.

The percentage of folks without health insurance also plunged during that time, from 14.2% to 6.3%.

Vermont

This state’s:

• Overall ranking: No. 2
• Life expectancy at birth: 78.8 years
• Healthy lifestyle ranking: No. 1

Vermont has a low rate of violent crime and a low prevalence of low birthweight infants. The state also spends a lot on public health per capita.

Minnesota

This state’s:

• Overall ranking: No. 2
• Life expectancy at birth: 79.1 years
• Healthy lifestyle ranking: No. 5

Minnesotans are renowned for their heartiness in a state where winter reigns supreme. In addition, this agricultural state provides residents with access to a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Hawaii

This state’s:

• Overall ranking: No. 1
• Life expectancy at birth: 80.7 years
• Healthy lifestyle ranking: No. 4

Hawaii does many things right: Obesity rates are low, as are rates of smoking and diabetes. Residents also generally report good mental health in this sunny slice of paradise.