STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Can you guess which states have the longest life expectancies in the U.S.? You just might be surprised which states’ senior citizens live the most golden years.
Data journalism website Stacker recently released a list of the “States where people live the longest” drawing from the 2020 County Health Rankings to rank all 50 states and Washington D.C. from lowest to highest. The 2020 County Health Rankings utilized mortality counts from the 2016-2018 National Center for Health Statistics. Stacker also used data from the U.S. Census 2019 American Community Survey and America’s Health Rankings Senior Report 2019 for senior citizens’ demographics in each state and each state’s rank for senior health care.
Find out which states made the top 10 below. Click here for the full list.
10. Florida
Average life expectancy: 80
Total seniors in the state: 4.5 million (20.9% of state population)
Health care for seniors rank: 29th
Senior demographics:
- Median age: 73.9
- Sex: 54.9% female; 45.1% male
- Race: 86.1% White; 9.2% Black or African American; 15.5% Hispanic or Latinx; 2.1% Asian; 0.2% Native American or Alaska Native
8. New Jersey (tie)
Average life expectancy: 80.4
Total seniors in the state: 1.5 million (16.6% of state population)
Health care for seniors rank: 21st
Senior demographics:
- Median age: 73.4
- Sex: 56.8% female; 43.2% male
- Race: 78.6% White; 10.5% Black or African American; 10.6% Hispanic or Latinx; 7.2% Asian; 0.1% Native American or Alaska Native
8. Washington (tie)
Average life expectancy: 80.4
Total seniors in the state: 1.2 million (15.9% of state population)
Health care for seniors rank: 14th
Senior demographics:
- Median age: 72.7
- Sex: 54.4% female; 45.6% male
- Race: 87.1% White; 2.2% Black or African American; 3.6% Hispanic or Latinx; 6.9% Asian; 1% Native American or Alaska Native
6. Colorado (tie)
Average life expectancy: 80.5
Total seniors in the state: 845,378 (14.7% of state population)
Health care for seniors rank: 5th
Senior demographics:
- Median age: 72.4
- Sex: 54.3% female; 45.7% male
- Race: 90.9% White; 2.8% Black or African American; 10.8% Hispanic or Latinx; 2.4% Asian; 0.9% Native American or Alaska Native
6. Massachusetts (tie)
Average life expectancy: 80.5
Total seniors in the state: 1.2 million (17% of state population)
Health care for seniors rank: 11th
Senior demographics:
- Median age: 73.1
- Sex: 56.5% female; 43.5% male
- Race: 88.4% White; 5% Black or African American; 4.8% Hispanic or Latinx; 3.9% Asian; 0.3% Native American or Alaska Native
4. Connecticut (tie)
Average life expectancy: 80.9
Total seniors in the state: 629,032 (17.6% of state population)
Health care for seniors rank: 3rd
Senior demographics:
- Median age: 73.5
- Sex: 56.2% female; 43.8% male
- Race: 87.8% White; 6.8% Black or African American; 6.4% Hispanic or Latinx; 2.6% Asian; 0.2% Native American or Alaska Native
4. Minnesota (tie)
Average life expectancy: 80.9
Total seniors in the state: 921,491 (16.3% of state population)
Health care for seniors rank: 4th
Senior demographics:
- Median age: 73.1
- Sex: 54.4% female; 45.6% male
- Race: 93.9% White; 2.3% Black or African American; 1.1% Hispanic or Latinx; 2.2% Asian; 0.6% Native American or Alaska Native
3. New York
Average life expectancy: 81.3
Total seniors in the state: 3.3 million (16.9% of state population)
Health care for seniors rank: 16th
Senior demographics:
- Median age: 73.4
- Sex: 56.9% female; 43.1% male
- Race: 74.1% White; 12.9% Black or African American; 11.5% Hispanic or Latinx; 6.9% Asian; 0.3% Native American or Alaska Native
2. California
Average life expectancy: 81.6
Total seniors in the state: 5.8 million (14.8% of state population)
Health care for seniors rank: 17th
Senior demographics:
- Median age: 73.1
- Sex: 55.4% female; 44.6% male
- Race: 69.3% White; 5.3% Black or African American; 20.6% Hispanic or Latinx; 16.1% Asian; 0.7% Native American or Alaska Native
1. Hawaii
Average life expectancy: 82.3
Total seniors in the state: 4.5 million (19% of state population)
Health care for seniors rank: 1st
Senior demographics:
- Median age: 73.5
- Sex: 54.8% female; 45.2% male
- Race: 28.1% White; 0.5% Black or African American; 3.4% Hispanic or Latinx; 53.1% Asian; 0.1% Native American or Alaska Native