Home

 › 

Health

 › 

The City With the Longest Life Expectancy in Every State

The City With the Longest Life Expectancy in Every State

Life expectancy is one of the most important and commonly cited indicators of population health — and in the United States, life expectancy is falling at a historic rate. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, life expectancy at birth declined by 1.5 years in 2020, the largest one-year drop since World War II. 

The CDC attributes the decline to the COVID-19 pandemic and 93,000 drug overdose deaths — an all-time one-year high. Homicide, diabetes, and liver disease were also contributing factors. Here is a look at the states with the most drug overdose deaths in 2020

While the national trend is alarming, there are parts of the country where life expectancy is far higher than the national average. Using data from County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute joint program, 24/7 Wall St. identified the metro area with the longest life expectancy at birth in every state. Four states — Delaware, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont — have only one metro area. As a result, these areas rank as having the longest average life expectancy in the state by default only. 

It is important to note that life expectancy figures are averages for the years 2017 through 2019 — the most recent period for which metro-level data is available — so they are pre-pandemic. 

Though each metro area on this list has the longest life expectancy at birth in its state, average life expectancies vary considerably — from as low as 76.5 years up to over 86. The comparable national average life expectancy stands at 79.2 years. 

Variations in life expectancy are tied to a number of factors. Tobacco use, for example, is the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S., and in the majority of metro areas on this list, the share of adults who smoke is below the corresponding statewide average. Here is a look at the American cities where the most people smoke.

Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/94097824@N05/

Alabama: Daphne-Fairhope-Foley
> Life expectancy at birth (years): 78.2 (Alabama: 75.6)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 16.5% (Alabama: 21.4%)
> Adult obesity rate: 30.0% (Alabama: 36.1%)
> Smoking rate: 18.5% (Alabama: 20.0%)
> Population without health insurance: 8.1% (Alabama: 9.7%)
> Median household income: $56,439 (Alabama: $51,734)
> Poverty rate: 10.1% (Alabama: 15.5%)

Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/11127719@N04/

Alaska: Fairbanks
> Life expectancy at birth (years): 80.5 (Alaska: 79.0)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 14.0% (Alaska: 15.6%)
> Adult obesity rate: 31.0% (Alaska: 31.9%)
> Smoking rate: 17.4% (Alaska: 18.5%)
> Population without health insurance: 8.2% (Alaska: 12.2%)
> Median household income: $72,065 (Alaska: $75,463)
> Poverty rate: 5.9% (Alaska: 10.1%)

Source: DenisTangneyJr / iStock via Getty Images

Arizona: Yuma
> Life expectancy at birth (years): 83.0 (Arizona: 80.0)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 26.1% (Arizona: 18.6%)
> Adult obesity rate: 37.9% (Arizona: 27.9%)
> Smoking rate: 16.7% (Arizona: 14.5%)
> Population without health insurance: 14.0% (Arizona: 11.3%)
> Median household income: $46,419 (Arizona: $62,055)
> Poverty rate: 21.4% (Arizona: 13.5%)

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

Arkansas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers
> Life expectancy at birth (years): 78.8 (Arkansas: 76.1)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 21.8% (Arkansas: 23.3%)
> Adult obesity rate: 31.6% (Arkansas: 35.0%)
> Smoking rate: 20.2% (Arkansas: 23.7%)
> Population without health insurance: 11.2% (Arkansas: 9.1%)
> Median household income: $61,674 (Arkansas: $48,952)
> Poverty rate: 12.6% (Arkansas: 16.2%)

Source: Bill_Dally / iStock via Getty Images

California: San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara
> Life expectancy at birth (years): 84.8 (California: 81.7)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 14.5% (California: 17.6%)
> Adult obesity rate: 20.4% (California: 24.3%)
> Smoking rate: 9.7% (California: 11.5%)
> Population without health insurance: 4.8% (California: 7.7%)
> Median household income: $130,865 (California: $80,440)
> Poverty rate: 6.3% (California: 11.8%)

Source: beklaus / E+ via Getty Images

Colorado: Boulder
> Life expectancy at birth (years): 82.9 (Colorado: 80.6)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 11.2% (Colorado: 13.8%)
> Adult obesity rate: 14.3% (Colorado: 22.4%)
> Smoking rate: 12.8% (Colorado: 14.7%)
> Population without health insurance: 5.4% (Colorado: 8.0%)
> Median household income: $88,535 (Colorado: $77,127)
> Poverty rate: 10.9% (Colorado: 9.3%)

Source: DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images

Connecticut: Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk
> Life expectancy at birth (years): 83.0 (Connecticut: 80.9)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 11.9% (Connecticut: 13.0%)
> Adult obesity rate: 21.2% (Connecticut: 26.3%)
> Smoking rate: 11.7% (Connecticut: 12.5%)
> Population without health insurance: 9.1% (Connecticut: 5.9%)
> Median household income: $97,053 (Connecticut: $78,833)
> Poverty rate: 9.1% (Connecticut: 10.0%)

Source: Ataraxy22 / Wikimedia Commons

Delaware: Dover*
> Life expectancy at birth (years): 77.8 (Delaware: 78.5)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 21.0% (Delaware: 16.3%)
> Adult obesity rate: 38.4% (Delaware: 32.4%)
> Smoking rate: 19.7% (Delaware: 17.4%)
> Population without health insurance: 9.0% (Delaware: 6.6%)
> Median household income: $58,001 (Delaware: $70,176)
> Poverty rate: 13.0% (Delaware: 11.3%)

*Because Dover is the only eligible metro in Delaware, it is the metro with the longest life expectancy by default.

Source: LagunaticPhoto / iStock via Getty Images

Florida: Naples-Marco Island
> Life expectancy at birth (years): 86.1 (Florida: 80.2)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 18.3% (Florida: 19.5%)
> Adult obesity rate: 21.9% (Florida: 27.2%)
> Smoking rate: 16.0% (Florida: 14.9%)
> Population without health insurance: 13.1% (Florida: 13.2%)
> Median household income: $76,025 (Florida: $59,227)
> Poverty rate: 9.3% (Florida: 12.7%)

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

Georgia: Gainesville
> Life expectancy at birth (years): 79.5 (Georgia: 77.9)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 20.6% (Georgia: 18.4%)
> Adult obesity rate: 32.0% (Georgia: 32.3%)
> Smoking rate: 17.4% (Georgia: 16.3%)
> Population without health insurance: 18.4% (Georgia: 13.4%)
> Median household income: $67,467 (Georgia: $61,980)
> Poverty rate: 14.5% (Georgia: 13.3%)

Source: unclegene / Getty Images

Hawaii: Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina
> Life expectancy at birth (years): 82.9 (Hawaii: 82.3)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 14.7% (Hawaii: 15.4%)
> Adult obesity rate: 24.6% (Hawaii: 24.6%)
> Smoking rate: 16.2% (Hawaii: 14.4%)
> Population without health insurance: 6.3% (Hawaii: 4.2%)
> Median household income: $80,754 (Hawaii: $83,102)
> Poverty rate: 11.9% (Hawaii: 9.3%)

Source: knowlesgallery / iStock via Getty Images

Idaho: Boise City
> Life expectancy at birth (years): 80.3 (Idaho: 79.4)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 15.5% (Idaho: 15.1%)
> Adult obesity rate: 28.4% (Idaho: 29.0%)
> Smoking rate: 16.5% (Idaho: 15.0%)
> Population without health insurance: 10.4% (Idaho: 10.8%)
> Median household income: $66,466 (Idaho: $60,999)
> Poverty rate: 9.9% (Idaho: 11.2%)

Source: eyfoto / iStock via Getty Images

Illinois: Champaign-Urbana
> Life expectancy at birth (years): 80.2 (Illinois: 79.4)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 16.0% (Illinois: 15.9%)
> Adult obesity rate: 30.0% (Illinois: 29.7%)
> Smoking rate: 17.7% (Illinois: 15.9%)
> Population without health insurance: 4.2% (Illinois: 7.4%)
> Median household income: $53,081 (Illinois: $69,187)
> Poverty rate: 20.0% (Illinois: 11.5%)

Source: DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images

Indiana: Bloomington
> Life expectancy at birth (years): 79.9 (Indiana: 77.1)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 17.8% (Indiana: 18.2%)
> Adult obesity rate: 26.1% (Indiana: 33.9%)
> Smoking rate: 21.4% (Indiana: 21.7%)
> Population without health insurance: 6.4% (Indiana: 8.7%)
> Median household income: $52,526 (Indiana: $57,603)
> Poverty rate: 20.9% (Indiana: 11.9%)

Source: harmantasdc / Getty Images

Iowa: Iowa City
> Life expectancy at birth (years): 82.6 (Iowa: 79.4)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 12.9% (Iowa: 13.5%)
> Adult obesity rate: 27.7% (Iowa: 34.3%)
> Smoking rate: 15.1% (Iowa: 17.4%)
> Population without health insurance: 7.7% (Iowa: 5.0%)
> Median household income: $63,761 (Iowa: $61,691)
> Poverty rate: 16.2% (Iowa: 11.2%)

Source: DenisTangneyJr / iStock via Getty Images

Kansas: Manhattan
> Life expectancy at birth (years): 80.8 (Kansas: 78.5)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 15.7% (Kansas: 16.3%)
> Adult obesity rate: 28.1% (Kansas: 33.0%)
> Smoking rate: 17.4% (Kansas: 17.9%)
> Population without health insurance: 8.4% (Kansas: 9.2%)
> Median household income: $59,010 (Kansas: $62,087)
> Poverty rate: 18.6% (Kansas: 11.4%)

Source: Daderot / Wikimedia Commons

Kentucky: Lexington-Fayette
> Life expectancy at birth (years): 77.9 (Kentucky: 75.6)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 19.7% (Kentucky: 21.8%)
> Adult obesity rate: 30.8% (Kentucky: 34.6%)
> Smoking rate: 19.2% (Kentucky: 24.1%)
> Population without health insurance: 6.4% (Kentucky: 6.4%)
> Median household income: $60,492 (Kentucky: $52,295)
> Poverty rate: 13.3% (Kentucky: 16.3%)

Source: SeanPavonePhoto / Getty Images

Louisiana: New Orleans-Metairie
> Life expectancy at birth (years): 77.3 (Louisiana: 76.1)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 20.6% (Louisiana: 21.4%)
> Adult obesity rate: 33.0% (Louisiana: 36.3%)
> Smoking rate: 20.1% (Louisiana: 21.1%)
> Population without health insurance: 9.2% (Louisiana: 8.9%)
> Median household income: $55,710 (Louisiana: $51,073)
> Poverty rate: 16.4% (Louisiana: 19.0%)

Source: DenisTangneyJr / iStock via Getty Images

Maine: Portland-South Portland
> Life expectancy at birth (years): 79.8 (Maine: 78.7)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 13.2% (Maine: 17.1%)
> Adult obesity rate: 25.9% (Maine: 29.8%)
> Smoking rate: 15.6% (Maine: 19.4%)
> Population without health insurance: 5.6% (Maine: 8.0%)
> Median household income: $71,913 (Maine: $58,924)
> Poverty rate: 7.7% (Maine: 10.9%)

Source: Famartin / Wikimedia Commons

Maryland: California-Lexington Park
> Life expectancy at birth (years): 78.7 (Maryland: 79.2)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 15.7% (Maryland: 15.2%)
> Adult obesity rate: 36.9% (Maryland: 31.6%)
> Smoking rate: 16.7% (Maryland: 12.6%)
> Population without health insurance: 3.2% (Maryland: 6.0%)
> Median household income: $87,947 (Maryland: $86,738)
> Poverty rate: 7.3% (Maryland: 9.0%)

Source: chensiyuan / Wikimedia Commons

Massachusetts: Boston-Cambridge-Newton
> Life expectancy at birth (years): 81.4 (Massachusetts: 80.6)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 13.3% (Massachusetts: 13.5%)
> Adult obesity rate: 23.9% (Massachusetts: 25.0%)
> Smoking rate: 14.2% (Massachusetts: 13.7%)
> Population without health insurance: 3.2% (Massachusetts: 3.0%)
> Median household income: $94,430 (Massachusetts: $85,843)
> Poverty rate: 8.6% (Massachusetts: 9.4%)

Source: Davel5957 / Getty Images

Michigan: Ann Arbor
> Life expectancy at birth (years): 81.4 (Michigan: 78.1)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 14.4% (Michigan: 18.3%)
> Adult obesity rate: 25.5% (Michigan: 32.4%)
> Smoking rate: 14.8% (Michigan: 20.1%)
> Population without health insurance: 3.7% (Michigan: 5.8%)
> Median household income: $76,576 (Michigan: $59,584)
> Poverty rate: 13.4% (Michigan: 13.0%)

Source: DenisTangneyJr / iStock via Getty Images

Minnesota: Rochester
> Life expectancy at birth (years): 82.3 (Minnesota: 80.9)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 11.9% (Minnesota: 12.9%)
> Adult obesity rate: 29.9% (Minnesota: 29.0%)
> Smoking rate: 16.1% (Minnesota: 15.5%)
> Population without health insurance: 5.5% (Minnesota: 4.9%)
> Median household income: $75,926 (Minnesota: $74,593)
> Poverty rate: 6.9% (Minnesota: 9.0%)

Source: SeanPavonePhoto / Getty Images

Mississippi: Jackson
> Life expectancy at birth (years): 76.5 (Mississippi: 74.9)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 21.4% (Mississippi: 22.1%)
> Adult obesity rate: 40.1% (Mississippi: 39.1%)
> Smoking rate: 18.9% (Mississippi: 21.0%)
> Population without health insurance: 12.5% (Mississippi: 13.0%)
> Median household income: $52,426 (Mississippi: $45,792)
> Poverty rate: 15.5% (Mississippi: 19.6%)

Source: Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images

Missouri: Columbia
> Life expectancy at birth (years): 79.8 (Missouri: 77.3)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 17.0% (Missouri: 19.5%)
> Adult obesity rate: 28.1% (Missouri: 32.5%)
> Smoking rate: 18.4% (Missouri: 20.1%)
> Population without health insurance: 7.7% (Missouri: 10.0%)
> Median household income: $57,359 (Missouri: $57,409)
> Poverty rate: 18.3% (Missouri: 12.9%)

Source: akpakp / iStock via Getty Images

Montana: Missoula
> Life expectancy at birth (years): 79.8 (Montana: 78.9)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 13.2% (Montana: 14.1%)
> Adult obesity rate: 21.4% (Montana: 27.1%)
> Smoking rate: 17.2% (Montana: 18.9%)
> Population without health insurance: 6.1% (Montana: 8.3%)
> Median household income: $57,347 (Montana: $57,153)
> Poverty rate: 11.5% (Montana: 12.6%)

Source: traveler1116 / Getty Images

Nebraska: Lincoln
> Life expectancy at birth (years): 80.2 (Nebraska: 79.6)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 12.5% (Nebraska: 13.8%)
> Adult obesity rate: 30.0% (Nebraska: 33.4%)
> Smoking rate: 16.4% (Nebraska: 16.6%)
> Population without health insurance: 7.2% (Nebraska: 8.3%)
> Median household income: $61,539 (Nebraska: $63,229)
> Poverty rate: 10.6% (Nebraska: 9.9%)

Source: mvp64 / iStock via Getty Images

Nevada: Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise
> Life expectancy at birth (years): 79.0 (Nevada: 78.7)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 21.6% (Nevada: 19.1%)
> Adult obesity rate: 27.3% (Nevada: 27.1%)
> Smoking rate: 17.9% (Nevada: 15.7%)
> Population without health insurance: 12.2% (Nevada: 11.4%)
> Median household income: $62,107 (Nevada: $63,276)
> Poverty rate: 12.8% (Nevada: 12.5%)

Source: DenisTangneyJr / iStock via Getty Images

New Hampshire: Manchester-Nashua*
> Life expectancy at birth (years): 79.6 (New Hampshire: 79.7)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 12.2% (New Hampshire: 12.8%)
> Adult obesity rate: 28.5% (New Hampshire: 28.6%)
> Smoking rate: 16.0% (New Hampshire: 16.6%)
> Population without health insurance: 6.8% (New Hampshire: 6.3%)
> Median household income: $83,626 (New Hampshire: $77,933)
> Poverty rate: 7.3% (New Hampshire: 7.3%)

*Because Manchester-Nashua is the only eligible metro in New Hampshire, it is the metro with the longest life expectancy by default.

Source: ChrisBoswell / iStock via Getty Images

New Jersey: Trenton-Princeton
> Life expectancy at birth (years): 80.6 (New Jersey: 80.5)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 16.8% (New Jersey: 15.5%)
> Adult obesity rate: 27.5% (New Jersey: 27.0%)
> Smoking rate: 15.0% (New Jersey: 13.2%)
> Population without health insurance: 7.4% (New Jersey: 7.9%)
> Median household income: $79,492 (New Jersey: $85,751)
> Poverty rate: 12.8% (New Jersey: 9.2%)

Source: Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images

New Mexico: Santa Fe
> Life expectancy at birth (years): 81.5 (New Mexico: 78.0)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 17.8% (New Mexico: 20.3%)
> Adult obesity rate: 16.1% (New Mexico: 27.3%)
> Smoking rate: 14.2% (New Mexico: 15.9%)
> Population without health insurance: 12.0% (New Mexico: 10.0%)
> Median household income: $61,298 (New Mexico: $51,945)
> Poverty rate: 13.0% (New Mexico: 18.2%)

Source: GCShutter / Getty Images

New York: New York-Newark-Jersey City
> Life expectancy at birth (years): 82.4 (New York: 81.4)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 17.2% (New York: 16.3%)
> Adult obesity rate: 24.4% (New York: 26.4%)
> Smoking rate: 14.5% (New York: 13.0%)
> Population without health insurance: 6.9% (New York: 5.2%)
> Median household income: $83,160 (New York: $72,108)
> Poverty rate: 11.6% (New York: 13.0%)

Source: Kruck20 / iStock via Getty Images

North Carolina: Raleigh-Cary
> Life expectancy at birth (years): 81.1 (North Carolina: 78.1)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 14.9% (North Carolina: 18.0%)
> Adult obesity rate: 29.3% (North Carolina: 32.3%)
> Smoking rate: 15.6% (North Carolina: 17.9%)
> Population without health insurance: 9.3% (North Carolina: 11.3%)
> Median household income: $80,096 (North Carolina: $57,341)
> Poverty rate: 8.9% (North Carolina: 13.6%)

Source: DenisTangneyJr / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images

North Dakota: Fargo
> Life expectancy at birth (years): 80.6 (North Dakota: 79.7)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 12.6% (North Dakota: 13.6%)
> Adult obesity rate: 31.9% (North Dakota: 33.9%)
> Smoking rate: 17.8% (North Dakota: 19.7%)
> Population without health insurance: 4.9% (North Dakota: 6.9%)
> Median household income: $62,820 (North Dakota: $64,577)
> Poverty rate: 13.0% (North Dakota: 10.6%)

Source: traveler1116 / Getty Images

Ohio: Columbus
> Life expectancy at birth (years): 77.8 (Ohio: 77.0)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 16.2% (Ohio: 17.8%)
> Adult obesity rate: 31.7% (Ohio: 33.5%)
> Smoking rate: 19.6% (Ohio: 21.4%)
> Population without health insurance: 7.1% (Ohio: 6.6%)
> Median household income: $67,207 (Ohio: $58,642)
> Poverty rate: 11.5% (Ohio: 13.1%)

Source: Mike Stobe / Getty Images

Oklahoma: Oklahoma City
> Life expectancy at birth (years): 77.0 (Oklahoma: 76.1)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 19.5% (Oklahoma: 20.9%)
> Adult obesity rate: 34.0% (Oklahoma: 34.5%)
> Smoking rate: 18.6% (Oklahoma: 19.9%)
> Population without health insurance: 12.2% (Oklahoma: 14.3%)
> Median household income: $60,605 (Oklahoma: $54,449)
> Poverty rate: 13.1% (Oklahoma: 15.2%)

Source: icetsarina / Flickr

Oregon: Corvallis
> Life expectancy at birth (years): 83.0 (Oregon: 79.9)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 16.1% (Oregon: 18.2%)
> Adult obesity rate: 21.6% (Oregon: 29.3%)
> Smoking rate: 14.7% (Oregon: 15.7%)
> Population without health insurance: 4.7% (Oregon: 7.2%)
> Median household income: $70,835 (Oregon: $67,058)
> Poverty rate: 17.9% (Oregon: 11.4%)

Source: benedek / iStock via Getty Images

Pennsylvania: State College
> Life expectancy at birth (years): 83.0 (Pennsylvania: 78.5)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 16.0% (Pennsylvania: 17.6%)
> Adult obesity rate: 24.0% (Pennsylvania: 30.8%)
> Smoking rate: 18.5% (Pennsylvania: 17.9%)
> Population without health insurance: 8.2% (Pennsylvania: 5.8%)
> Median household income: $60,706 (Pennsylvania: $63,463)
> Poverty rate: 16.3% (Pennsylvania: 12.0%)

Source: SeanPavonePhoto / Getty Images

Rhode Island: Providence-Warwick*
> Life expectancy at birth (years): 79.4 (Rhode Island: 79.8)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 16.8% (Rhode Island: 16.5%)
> Adult obesity rate: 28.6% (Rhode Island: 28.5%)
> Smoking rate: 18.0% (Rhode Island: 15.2%)
> Population without health insurance: 3.7% (Rhode Island: 4.1%)
> Median household income: $70,967 (Rhode Island: $71,169)
> Poverty rate: 11.0% (Rhode Island: 10.8%)

*Because Providence-Warwick is the only eligible metro in Rhode Island, it is the metro with the longest life expectancy by default.

Source: Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images

South Carolina: Hilton Head Island-Bluffton
> Life expectancy at birth (years): 82.2 (South Carolina: 77.1)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 15.7% (South Carolina: 17.8%)
> Adult obesity rate: 26.6% (South Carolina: 34.0%)
> Smoking rate: 17.3% (South Carolina: 18.7%)
> Population without health insurance: 10.2% (South Carolina: 10.8%)
> Median household income: $71,252 (South Carolina: $56,227)
> Poverty rate: 10.8% (South Carolina: 13.8%)

Source: DenisTangneyJr / E+ via Getty Images

South Dakota: Sioux Falls
> Life expectancy at birth (years): 79.7 (South Dakota: 78.9)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 12.3% (South Dakota: 13.4%)
> Adult obesity rate: 31.4% (South Dakota: 32.4%)
> Smoking rate: 16.8% (South Dakota: 20.2%)
> Population without health insurance: 7.5% (South Dakota: 10.2%)
> Median household income: $65,566 (South Dakota: $59,533)
> Poverty rate: 7.7% (South Dakota: 11.9%)

Source: Kruck20 / iStock via Getty Images

Tennessee: Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin
> Life expectancy at birth (years): 77.6 (Tennessee: 76.0)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 18.7% (Tennessee: 21.2%)
> Adult obesity rate: 30.0% (Tennessee: 33.3%)
> Smoking rate: 20.4% (Tennessee: 20.8%)
> Population without health insurance: 9.3% (Tennessee: 10.1%)
> Median household income: $70,262 (Tennessee: $56,071)
> Poverty rate: 10.0% (Tennessee: 13.9%)

Source: DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images

Texas: McAllen-Edinburg-Mission
> Life expectancy at birth (years): 81.9 (Texas: 79.2)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 33.1% (Texas: 18.7%)
> Adult obesity rate: 38.2% (Texas: 31.4%)
> Smoking rate: 15.3% (Texas: 14.2%)
> Population without health insurance: 32.2% (Texas: 18.4%)
> Median household income: $41,800 (Texas: $64,034)
> Poverty rate: 27.3% (Texas: 13.6%)

Source: MojaveNC / Wikimedia Commons

Utah: St. George
> Life expectancy at birth (years): 82.0 (Utah: 80.1)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 15.9% (Utah: 14.8%)
> Adult obesity rate: 24.0% (Utah: 27.0%)
> Smoking rate: 10.9% (Utah: 9.1%)
> Population without health insurance: 14.4% (Utah: 9.7%)
> Median household income: $63,595 (Utah: $75,780)
> Poverty rate: 9.8% (Utah: 8.9%)

Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/redjar/

Vermont: Burlington-South Burlington*
> Life expectancy at birth (years): 81.0 (Vermont: 79.8)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 11.8% (Vermont: 12.8%)
> Adult obesity rate: 25.4% (Vermont: 27.0%)
> Smoking rate: 13.6% (Vermont: 14.7%)
> Population without health insurance: 3.7% (Vermont: 4.5%)
> Median household income: $74,909 (Vermont: $63,001)
> Poverty rate: 11.4% (Vermont: 10.2%)

*Because Burlington-South Burlington is the only eligible metro in Vermont, it is the metro with the longest life expectancy by default.

Source: QizhangJia / iStock via Getty Images

Virginia: Charlottesville
> Life expectancy at birth (years): 81.0 (Virginia: 79.6)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 16.4% (Virginia: 16.6%)
> Adult obesity rate: 28.8% (Virginia: 30.5%)
> Smoking rate: 16.8% (Virginia: 15.1%)
> Population without health insurance: 6.5% (Virginia: 7.9%)
> Median household income: $75,907 (Virginia: $76,456)
> Poverty rate: 11.2% (Virginia: 9.9%)

Source: Erhoman / Getty Images

Washington: Wenatchee
> Life expectancy at birth (years): 81.4 (Washington: 80.4)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 18.8% (Washington: 15.0%)
> Adult obesity rate: 32.2% (Washington: 28.6%)
> Smoking rate: 15.0% (Washington: 12.1%)
> Population without health insurance: 11.0% (Washington: 6.6%)
> Median household income: $60,532 (Washington: $78,687)
> Poverty rate: 13.0% (Washington: 9.8%)

Source: ChrisBoswell / iStock via Getty Images

West Virginia: Morgantown
> Life expectancy at birth (years): 79.0 (West Virginia: 74.8)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 20.8% (West Virginia: 23.6%)
> Adult obesity rate: 31.8% (West Virginia: 37.8%)
> Smoking rate: 22.0% (West Virginia: 26.9%)
> Population without health insurance: 4.4% (West Virginia: 6.7%)
> Median household income: $56,395 (West Virginia: $48,850)
> Poverty rate: 20.1% (West Virginia: 16.0%)

Source: Sean Pavone / Getty Images

Wisconsin: Madison
> Life expectancy at birth (years): 81.5 (Wisconsin: 79.5)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 12.5% (Wisconsin: 14.8%)
> Adult obesity rate: 25.9% (Wisconsin: 31.7%)
> Smoking rate: 15.1% (Wisconsin: 17.2%)
> Population without health insurance: 3.7% (Wisconsin: 5.7%)
> Median household income: $75,545 (Wisconsin: $64,168)
> Poverty rate: 8.9% (Wisconsin: 10.4%)

Source: Davel5957 / Getty Images

Wyoming: Cheyenne
> Life expectancy at birth (years): 78.4 (Wyoming: 78.9)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 15.4% (Wyoming: 15.3%)
> Adult obesity rate: 30.1% (Wyoming: 29.2%)
> Smoking rate: 19.2% (Wyoming: 19.2%)
> Population without health insurance: 7.4% (Wyoming: 12.3%)
> Median household income: $70,567 (Wyoming: $65,003)
> Poverty rate: 9.8% (Wyoming: 10.1%)

To determine the metro with the longest life expectancy in every state, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed life expectancy — the average number of years a person can expect to live — data from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute joint program’s 2021 County Health Rankings & Roadmaps report. While the CHR report is from 2021, life expectancy data published in the report are from 2017-2019. 

We used the 384 metropolitan statistical areas as delineated by the United States Office of Management and Budget and used by the Census Bureau as our definition of metros. 

Metros were ranked within their state based on life expectancy. Since many metros cross state lines, the metro was assigned to the state of its first-listed principal city. Thus, the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area was excluded as it is principally in the District of Columbia.

Additional information on the share of adults reporting poor or fair health, the share of adults 20 years and older who report a body mass index of 30 kg/m2 or higher (adult obesity rate), and the share of adults who are current smokers are also from the 2021 CHR. The share of the civilian noninstitutionalized population without health insurance, median household income, and poverty rates are one-year estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2019 American Community Survey.

To top