The City in Every State Where People Live the Longest

It may seem counterintuitive, but where you live actually has more of an effect on your life expectancy than you might realize. In fact, even within states themselves, there are cities where the average resident lives longer.

Many factors and variables determine life expectancy. Just the fact alone that you live in a specific city – say, Chicago over Boise – doesn’t have any bearing on how long you’re going to live, obviously, but certain factors within those cities do. For example, how well-developed is the health care system, and how high is the quality of that health care? What is the quality of the air and water, and are there policies in place to enforce environmental sustainability? Are there public disease prevention programs and vaccination campaigns?

Lifestyle choices, including exercising regularly, getting enough sleep, and not smoking can also play a major role in longevity. All these factors come into play in each of these cities with the highest life expectancy in every state. (Not surprisingly, some of these cities also have the nicest historic neighborhood in every state.)

To determine the cities in every state where people live the longest, 24/7 Tempo reviewed data on life expectancy in U.S. metropolitan areas from County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, a collaboration between the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute. Additional data on smoking rate, physical inactivity, and insufficient sleep also came from the 2023 CHR.

Alabama: Auburn-Opelika and Daphne-Fairhope-Foley (tie)

• Life expectancy: 77.72 years (Alabama: 74.84 years)
• People who don’t exercise regularly: 24.7% and 23.2% (Alabama: 27.8%)
• Adults who get fewer than 7 hrs of sleep: 36.3% and 35.1% (Alabama: 39.2%)
• Adults who smoke regularly: 16.7% and 16.9% (Alabama: 19.5%)
• Adult obesity rate: 36.8% and 32.6% (Alabama: 39.3%)

Alaska: Fairbanks

• Life expectancy: 80.21 years (Alaska: 78.62 years)
• People who don’t exercise regularly: 21.0% (Alaska: 21.1%)
• Adults who get fewer than 7 hrs of sleep: 32.9% (Alaska: 31.9%)
• Adults who smoke regularly: 15.9% (Alaska: 18.0%)
• Adult obesity rate: 31.2% (Alaska: 31.8%)

Arizona: Yuma

• Life expectancy: 80.48 years (Arizona: 79.06 years)
• People who don’t exercise regularly: 29.4% (Arizona: 21.6%)
• Adults who get fewer than 7 hrs of sleep: 36.6% (Arizona: 33.6%)
• Adults who smoke regularly: 16.4% (Arizona: 13.7%)
• Adult obesity rate: 40.5% (Arizona: 31.5%)

Arkansas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers

• Life expectancy: 78.71 years (Arkansas: 75.49 years)
• People who don’t exercise regularly: 25.6% (Arkansas: 28.8%)
• Adults who get fewer than 7 hrs of sleep: 31.3% (Arkansas: 35.9%)
• Adults who smoke regularly: 17.7% (Arkansas: 21.6%)
• Adult obesity rate: 32.5% (Arkansas: 37.2%)

California: San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara

• Life expectancy: 84.56 years (California: 81.01 years)
• People who don’t exercise regularly: 18.6% (California: 21.1%)
• Adults who get fewer than 7 hrs of sleep: 28.8% (California: 31.1%)
• Adults who smoke regularly: 8.5% (California: 9.0%)
• Adult obesity rate: 20.9% (California: 30.2%)

Colorado: Boulder

• Life expectancy: 82.61 years (Colorado: 79.98 years)
• People who don’t exercise regularly: 12.9% (Colorado: 16.5%)
• Adults who get fewer than 7 hrs of sleep: 23.8% (Colorado: 27.0%)
• Adults who smoke regularly: 11.3% (Colorado: 12.6%)
• Adult obesity rate: 17.6% (Colorado: 24.2%)

Connecticut: Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk

• Life expectancy: 82.06 years (Connecticut: 80.11 years)
• People who don’t exercise regularly: 17.1% (Connecticut: 20.2%)
• Adults who get fewer than 7 hrs of sleep: 31.6% (Connecticut: 33.0%)
• Adults who smoke regularly: 10.5% (Connecticut: 12.6%)
• Adult obesity rate: 23.5% (Connecticut: 29.5%)

Delaware: Dover

• Life expectancy: 77.11 years (Delaware: 78.01 years)
• People who don’t exercise regularly: 27.6% (Delaware: 23.6%)
• Adults who get fewer than 7 hrs of sleep: 38.1% (Delaware: 33.9%)
• Adults who smoke regularly: 20.0% (Delaware: 15.8%)
• Adult obesity rate: 39.1% (Delaware: 36.2%)

Florida: Naples-Marco Island

• Life expectancy: 86.11 years (Florida: 79.69 years)
• People who don’t exercise regularly: 24.9% (Florida: 25.8%)
• Adults who get fewer than 7 hrs of sleep: 31.6% (Florida: 34.3%)
• Adults who smoke regularly: 15.2% (Florida: 15.5%)
• Adult obesity rate: 27.2% (Florida: 28.3%)

Georgia: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta

• Life expectancy: 78.93 years (Georgia: 77.31 years)
• People who don’t exercise regularly: 23.7% (Georgia: 24.5%)
• Adults who get fewer than 7 hrs of sleep: 36.5% (Georgia: 35.8%)
• Adults who smoke regularly: 14.9% (Georgia: 16.3%)
• Adult obesity rate: 32.8% (Georgia: 34.3%)

Hawaii: Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina

• Life expectancy: 82.9 years (Hawaii: 82.26 years)
• People who don’t exercise regularly: 16.3% (Hawaii: 18.4%)
• Adults who get fewer than 7 hrs of sleep: 35.6% (Hawaii: 39.4%)
• Adults who smoke regularly: 14.0% (Hawaii: 12.2%)
• Adult obesity rate: 23.9% (Hawaii: 25.0%)

Idaho: Boise

• Life expectancy: 80.05 years (Idaho: 79.19 years)
• People who don’t exercise regularly: 19.4% (Idaho: 19.7%)
• Adults who get fewer than 7 hrs of sleep: 29.2% (Idaho: 29.8%)
• Adults who smoke regularly: 14.7% (Idaho: 14.2%)
• Adult obesity rate: 31.0% (Idaho: 31.3%)

Illinois: Champaign-Urbana

• Life expectancy: 80.12 years (Illinois: 78.62 years)
• People who don’t exercise regularly: 21.8% (Illinois: 24.4%)
• Adults who get fewer than 7 hrs of sleep: 32.6% (Illinois: 31.9%)
• Adults who smoke regularly: 15.9% (Illinois: 12.8%)
• Adult obesity rate: 31.3% (Illinois: 32.5%)

Indiana: Lafayette-West Lafayette

• Life expectancy: 79.33 years (Indiana: 76.51 years)
• People who don’t exercise regularly: 25.0% (Indiana: 25.6%)
• Adults who get fewer than 7 hrs of sleep: 32.9% (Indiana: 35.9%)
• Adults who smoke regularly: 18.9% (Indiana: 20.2%)
• Adult obesity rate: 37.5% (Indiana: 37.2%)

Iowa: Iowa City

• Life expectancy: 82.12 years (Iowa: 78.74 years)
• People who don’t exercise regularly: 20.9% (Iowa: 22.7%)
• Adults who get fewer than 7 hrs of sleep: 30.2% (Iowa: 31.6%)
• Adults who smoke regularly: 14.0% (Iowa: 16.8%)
• Adult obesity rate: 30.6% (Iowa: 37.2%)

Kansas: Lawrence

• Life expectancy: 80.42 years (Kansas: 77.81 years)
• People who don’t exercise regularly: 19.4% (Kansas: 21.4%)
• Adults who get fewer than 7 hrs of sleep: 32.0% (Kansas: 33.0%)
• Adults who smoke regularly: 15.8% (Kansas: 17.2%)
• Adult obesity rate: 32.0% (Kansas: 35.8%)

Kentucky: Lexington-Fayette

• Life expectancy: 77.44 years (Kentucky: 75.08 years)
• People who don’t exercise regularly: 28.6% (Kentucky: 29.3%)
• Adults who get fewer than 7 hrs of sleep: 35.5% (Kentucky: 39.1%)
• Adults who smoke regularly: 18.8% (Kentucky: 22.2%)
• Adult obesity rate: 34.1% (Kentucky: 37.0%)

Louisiana: New Orleans-Metairie

• Life expectancy: 76.48 years (Louisiana: 75.22 years)
• People who don’t exercise regularly: 27.8% (Louisiana: 28.2%)
• Adults who get fewer than 7 hrs of sleep: 38.3% (Louisiana: 36.6%)
• Adults who smoke regularly: 17.8% (Louisiana: 18.9%)
• Adult obesity rate: 35.5% (Louisiana: 38.3%)

Maine: Portland-South Portland

• Life expectancy: 79.79 years (Maine: 78.56 years)
• People who don’t exercise regularly: 18.2% (Maine: 19.7%)
• Adults who get fewer than 7 hrs of sleep: 31.0% (Maine: 31.2%)
• Adults who smoke regularly: 14.3% (Maine: 18.0%)
• Adult obesity rate: 28.0% (Maine: 31.3%)

Maryland: California-Lexington Park

• Life expectancy: 78.3 years (Maryland: 78.58 years)
• People who don’t exercise regularly: 21.4% (Maryland: 20.6%)
• Adults who get fewer than 7 hrs of sleep: 37.1% (Maryland: 34.1%)
• Adults who smoke regularly: 15.5% (Maryland: 11.1%)
• Adult obesity rate: 36.5% (Maryland: 30.9%)

Massachusetts-New Hampshire: Boston-Cambridge-Newton

• Life expectancy: 80.92 years (Massachusetts-New Hampshire: 80.19 years)
• People who don’t exercise regularly: 18.6% (Massachusetts-New Hampshire: 19.4%)
• Adults who get fewer than 7 hrs of sleep: 30.4% (Massachusetts-New Hampshire: 31.6%)
• Adults who smoke regularly: 11.9% (Massachusetts-New Hampshire: 11.4%)
• Adult obesity rate: 23.9% (Massachusetts-New Hampshire: 24.5%)

Michigan: Ann Arbor

• Life expectancy: 80.89 years (Michigan: 77.48 years)
• People who don’t exercise regularly: 16.6% (Michigan: 20.2%)
• Adults who get fewer than 7 hrs of sleep: 33.8% (Michigan: 35.5%)
• Adults who smoke regularly: 13.8% (Michigan: 19.3%)
• Adult obesity rate: 30.8% (Michigan: 35.3%)

Minnesota: Rochester

• Life expectancy: 81.79 years (Minnesota: 80.4 years)
• People who don’t exercise regularly: 17.9% (Minnesota: 18.7%)
• Adults who get fewer than 7 hrs of sleep: 27.2% (Minnesota: 27.8%)
• Adults who smoke regularly: 15.2% (Minnesota: 14.3%)
• Adult obesity rate: 32.5% (Minnesota: 30.6%)

Mississippi: Jackson

• Life expectancy: 75.21 years (Mississippi: 73.89 years)
• People who don’t exercise regularly: 27.6% (Mississippi: 28.9%)
• Adults who get fewer than 7 hrs of sleep: 34.7% (Mississippi: 35.3%)
• Adults who smoke regularly: 17.2% (Mississippi: 20.7%)
• Adult obesity rate: 39.3% (Mississippi: 39.9%)

Missouri: Columbia

• Life expectancy: 78.89 years (Missouri: 76.64 years)
• People who don’t exercise regularly: 22.5% (Missouri: 24.9%)
• Adults who get fewer than 7 hrs of sleep: 31.0% (Missouri: 34.2%)
• Adults who smoke regularly: 16.5% (Missouri: 18.6%)
• Adult obesity rate: 33.4% (Missouri: 34.2%)

Montana: Missoula

• Life expectancy: 79.77 years (Montana: 78.37 years)
• People who don’t exercise regularly: 14.4% (Montana: 18.0%)
• Adults who get fewer than 7 hrs of sleep: 26.5% (Montana: 29.7%)
• Adults who smoke regularly: 14.2% (Montana: 17.5%)
• Adult obesity rate: 26.4% (Montana: 28.9%)

Nebraska: Lincoln

• Life expectancy: 79.84 years (Nebraska: 79.02 years)
• People who don’t exercise regularly: 17.8% (Nebraska: 21.0%)
• Adults who get fewer than 7 hrs of sleep: 28.3% (Nebraska: 28.9%)
• Adults who smoke regularly: 15.0% (Nebraska: 14.5%)
• Adult obesity rate: 32.9% (Nebraska: 34.0%)

Nevada: Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise

• Life expectancy: 78.41 years (Nevada: 78.11 years)
• People who don’t exercise regularly: 26.2% (Nevada: 24.9%)
• Adults who get fewer than 7 hrs of sleep: 36.8% (Nevada: 35.3%)
• Adults who smoke regularly: 16.8% (Nevada: 14.1%)
• Adult obesity rate: 31.1% (Nevada: 28.1%)

New Hampshire: Manchester-Nashua

• Life expectancy: 79.42 years (New Hampshire: 79.59 years)
• People who don’t exercise regularly: 19.9% (New Hampshire: 18.6%)
• Adults who get fewer than 7 hrs of sleep: 33.2% (New Hampshire: 31.0%)
• Adults who smoke regularly: 14.1% (New Hampshire: 14.7%)
• Adult obesity rate: 29.2% (New Hampshire: 30.5%)

New Jersey: Trenton-Princeton

• Life expectancy: 79.33 years (New Jersey: 79.49 years)
• People who don’t exercise regularly: 20.3% (New Jersey: 20.2%)
• Adults who get fewer than 7 hrs of sleep: 34.3% (New Jersey: 32.3%)
• Adults who smoke regularly: 12.3% (New Jersey: 11.1%)
• Adult obesity rate: 28.4% (New Jersey: 27.7%)

New Mexico: Santa Fe

• Life expectancy: 80.98 years (New Mexico: 76.88 years)
• People who don’t exercise regularly: 18.5% (New Mexico: 22.5%)
• Adults who get fewer than 7 hrs of sleep: 28.6% (New Mexico: 30.8%)
• Adults who smoke regularly: 12.2% (New Mexico: 16.9%)
• Adult obesity rate: 21.6% (New Mexico: 31.7%)

New York: Ithaca

• Life expectancy: 81.3 years (New York: 80.26 years)
• People who don’t exercise regularly: 18.4% (New York: 25.2%)
• Adults who get fewer than 7 hrs of sleep: 30.1% (New York: 33.1%)
• Adults who smoke regularly: 14.7% (New York: 12.3%)
• Adult obesity rate: 26.9% (New York: 26.5%)

North Carolina: Raleigh-Cary

• Life expectancy: 80.81 years (North Carolina: 77.68 years)
• People who don’t exercise regularly: 17.6% (North Carolina: 21.9%)
• Adults who get fewer than 7 hrs of sleep: 31.2% (North Carolina: 31.8%)
• Adults who smoke regularly: 12.9% (North Carolina: 17.0%)
• Adult obesity rate: 29.5% (North Carolina: 33.6%)

North Dakota-Minnesota: Fargo

• Life expectancy: 79.93 years (North Dakota-Minnesota: 78.77 years)
• People who don’t exercise regularly: 21.5% (North Dakota-Minnesota: 24.6%)
• Adults who get fewer than 7 hrs of sleep: 30.0% (North Dakota-Minnesota: 30.5%)
• Adults who smoke regularly: 16.4% (North Dakota-Minnesota: 17.9%)
• Adult obesity rate: 34.8% (North Dakota-Minnesota: 33.6%)

Ohio: Cleveland-Elyria

• Life expectancy: 77.35 years (Ohio: 76.52 years)
• People who don’t exercise regularly: 22.9% (Ohio: 23.5%)
• Adults who get fewer than 7 hrs of sleep: 36.5% (Ohio: 36.5%)
• Adults who smoke regularly: 20.6% (Ohio: 20.2%)
• Adult obesity rate: 35.8% (Ohio: 35.8%)

Oklahoma: Oklahoma City

• Life expectancy: 76.54 years (Oklahoma: 75.54 years)
• People who don’t exercise regularly: 26.6% (Oklahoma: 27.9%)
• Adults who get fewer than 7 hrs of sleep: 31.8% (Oklahoma: 33.8%)
• Adults who smoke regularly: 18.2% (Oklahoma: 19.6%)
• Adult obesity rate: 35.4% (Oklahoma: 37.1%)

Oregon: Corvallis

• Life expectancy: 83.09 years (Oregon: 79.7 years)
• People who don’t exercise regularly: 15.9% (Oregon: 17.6%)
• Adults who get fewer than 7 hrs of sleep: 26.7% (Oregon: 29.0%)
• Adults who smoke regularly: 12.7% (Oregon: 13.6%)
• Adult obesity rate: 28.5% (Oregon: 28.3%)

Pennsylvania: State College

• Life expectancy: 82.51 years (Pennsylvania: 78.02 years)
• People who don’t exercise regularly: 20.9% (Pennsylvania: 23.4%)
• Adults who get fewer than 7 hrs of sleep: 35.0% (Pennsylvania: 37.0%)
• Adults who smoke regularly: 17.2% (Pennsylvania: 16.7%)
• Adult obesity rate: 31.2% (Pennsylvania: 31.6%)

Rhode Island-Massachusetts: Providence-Warwick

• Life expectancy: 78.98 years (Rhode Island-Massachusetts: 79.37 years)
• People who don’t exercise regularly: 22.6% (Rhode Island-Massachusetts: 22.9%)
• Adults who get fewer than 7 hrs of sleep: 35.2% (Rhode Island-Massachusetts: 32.8%)
• Adults who smoke regularly: 15.6% (Rhode Island-Massachusetts: 14.1%)
• Adult obesity rate: 29.6% (Rhode Island-Massachusetts: 30.6%)

South Carolina: Hilton Head Island-Bluffton

• Life expectancy: 81.84 years (South Carolina: 76.44 years)
• People who don’t exercise regularly: 20.7% (South Carolina: 25.6%)
• Adults who get fewer than 7 hrs of sleep: 34.6% (South Carolina: 34.7%)
• Adults who smoke regularly: 15.5% (South Carolina: 19.1%)
• Adult obesity rate: 30.7% (South Carolina: 36.7%)

South Dakota: Sioux Falls

• Life expectancy: 79.06 years (South Dakota: 78.19 years)
• People who don’t exercise regularly: 19.9% (South Dakota: 21.6%)
• Adults who get fewer than 7 hrs of sleep: 27.0% (South Dakota: 29.5%)
• Adults who smoke regularly: 15.5% (South Dakota: 19.0%)
• Adult obesity rate: 31.2% (South Dakota: 33.4%)

Tennessee: Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin

• Life expectancy: 77.11 years (Tennessee: 75.33 years)
• People who don’t exercise regularly: 22.1% (Tennessee: 23.6%)
• Adults who get fewer than 7 hrs of sleep: 33.2% (Tennessee: 34.4%)
• Adults who smoke regularly: 18.5% (Tennessee: 19.7%)
• Adult obesity rate: 34.2% (Tennessee: 35.8%)

Texas: Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown

• Life expectancy: 81.13 years (Texas: 78.39 years)
• People who don’t exercise regularly: 20.1% (Texas: 25.4%)
• Adults who get fewer than 7 hrs of sleep: 31.1% (Texas: 33.4%)
• Adults who smoke regularly: 12.8% (Texas: 13.3%)
• Adult obesity rate: 30.3% (Texas: 35.8%)

Utah: St. George

• Life expectancy: 81.82 years (Utah: 79.72 years)
• People who don’t exercise regularly: 15.6% (Utah: 16.3%)
• Adults who get fewer than 7 hrs of sleep: 30.5% (Utah: 30.9%)
• Adults who smoke regularly: 9.3% (Utah: 8.3%)
• Adult obesity rate: 30.8% (Utah: 29.3%)

Vermont: Burlington-South Burlington

• Life expectancy: 81.03 years (Vermont: 79.67 years)
• People who don’t exercise regularly: 15.2% (Vermont: 17.1%)
• Adults who get fewer than 7 hrs of sleep: 27.0% (Vermont: 28.9%)
• Adults who smoke regularly: 13.0% (Vermont: 14.4%)
• Adult obesity rate: 24.4% (Vermont: 26.3%)

Virginia: Charlottesville

• Life expectancy: 81.07 years (Virginia: 79.07 years)
• People who don’t exercise regularly: 19.0% (Virginia: 20.4%)
• Adults who get fewer than 7 hrs of sleep: 32.4% (Virginia: 34.5%)
• Adults who smoke regularly: 14.2% (Virginia: 13.9%)
• Adult obesity rate: 30.1% (Virginia: 32.4%)

Washington: Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue

• Life expectancy: 81.08 years (Washington: 80.21 years)
• People who don’t exercise regularly: 16.5% (Washington: 17.5%)
• Adults who get fewer than 7 hrs of sleep: 29.9% (Washington: 29.9%)
• Adults who smoke regularly: 11.6% (Washington: 11.6%)
• Adult obesity rate: 25.5% (Washington: 28.0%)

West Virginia: Morgantown

• Life expectancy: 78.56 years (West Virginia: 74.26 years)
• People who don’t exercise regularly: 23.8% (West Virginia: 27.4%)
• Adults who get fewer than 7 hrs of sleep: 37.0% (West Virginia: 40.5%)
• Adults who smoke regularly: 20.0% (West Virginia: 24.0%)
• Adult obesity rate: 35.5% (West Virginia: 39.6%)

Wisconsin: Madison

• Life expectancy: 81.06 years (Wisconsin: 78.87 years)
• People who don’t exercise regularly: 16.1% (Wisconsin: 19.8%)
• Adults who get fewer than 7 hrs of sleep: 26.6% (Wisconsin: 31.2%)
• Adults who smoke regularly: 13.2% (Wisconsin: 16.1%)
• Adult obesity rate: 26.4% (Wisconsin: 32.7%)

Wyoming: Cheyenne

• Life expectancy: 77.95 years (Wyoming: 78.08 years)
• People who don’t exercise regularly: 23.2% (Wyoming: 21.6%)
• Adults who get fewer than 7 hrs of sleep: 30.4% (Wyoming: 33.1%)
• Adults who smoke regularly: 18.2% (Wyoming: 19.4%)
• Adult obesity rate: 30.9% (Wyoming: 30.6%)