Have you heard about the U.S. cities where seniors live the longest?
Yes, there are U.S. cities among the blue zones, even if it does not seem like it now!
In reality, there are blue zones in different countries and even in certain parts of a country where people are known for their longevity. Sure, they may not be as touted as the “official” blue zones of the world, but that does not mean that they do not exist.
We all would like to be able to live forever, but since science has not yet gotten there, we would settle for living for as long as we can in the best health possible. While the best places are the so-called “blue zones” of the Earth, they are not close to the United States.
But there are actual U.S. cities known for their longevity and how long people live there, so why not choose to relocate to these places and live your best, longest life?
If you’re ready to find out more about blue zones and which U.S. cities are close to international blue zones due to the longevity of their residents, keep on reading!
Did you have your eyes on these cities before? Is there another blue-zone city that you like more? What is your opinion on blue zones? Let us know in the comments!
What is a blue zone?
The regions of the world where people are known to live longer than the average of their country are known as blue zones.
The most common ones include Okinawa in Japan, Icaria in Greece, Nuoro Province in Sardinia, Italy, and the Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica.
While these are definitely not the only blue zones in the world, they are some of the most famous ones.
An initial analysis made about these areas ended up concluding that the longevity of the people residing in these areas is due to their traditional lifestyles, which include more often than not being physically active even after the age of 80, strong familial and communal ties, and consumption of locally produced and traditional foods.
While it seems like the scientific community contests the existence of blue zones, it is obvious from the fact that many of these places have a high percentage of centenarians (people reaching and going over the age of 100) that they are doing something right.
It can be hard to reach the places mentioned earlier and move there, but we should not only focus on them! There are plenty of other spots in the world where you can live well into your 80s and beyond, and some of them are right here in the United States.
Keep on reading to discover the U.S. cities that are known for their longevity and are a form of mini, local blue zones!
Montgomery County, Maryland.
Considered the most popular county in Maryland, Montgomery County is also known as the blue zone of the state. This part of the state has the highest life expectancy, with Montgomery residents reaching up to 81.6 years old for men and 84.9 for women!
Both of these numbers are some of the highest in the whole nation. Keep in mind that they are higher than the life expectancy at birth per the whole country, which is over a combined 76.4 years for both sexes (with men being 73.5 and women being 79.3 years old), according to the CDC!
When you take into consideration that these numbers represent some of the countries with the highest expectancies in the world, like Spain, France, and Switzerland, you can count yourself lucky if you already live here!
Otherwise, maybe you should plan a vacation in the area and consider it a potential spot for your retirement!
Marin County, California.
Who runs the world? Girls! Jokes aside, it is well known that women live on average longer than men do, according to most studies. However, where is the best U.S. city to live if you are a senior woman and wish to live the longest?
The reason why you should consider Marin County as your destination for retirement is because it holds the first spot when it comes to the longest life expectancy for women in the United States, which is 85 years old!
What’s more, women in Marin County also score the highest rate of physical activity in the whole country (89.5 percent). And men are not doing too badly here either! The average life expectancy for men in Marin County ranks fifth of any county, standing at 81.4 years, a bit lower than the country we mentioned before.
Still, if you wish to live close to the coast and close to the San Francisco Bay area, this is the country for you if you wish to live a long and fulfilling life!
Santa Clara, California.
Another one of the Californian destinations that is known for its longevity is Santa Clara. This Californian haven is known for its seemingly endless entertainment opportunities, and now you can also know it for how high its life expectancy is!
With the fourth-highest number in the country for longevity, women in Santa Clara have an expectancy of about 84.5 years. Men, on the other hand, only have an expectancy of 81 years, which ranks ninth in the country.
It is not a bad number when you compare it with the general average. But even so, if you are looking for longevity in your retirement location, this is another sunny one to consider!
Loudoun, Virginia.
Loudoun is on the opposite side of the country from our previous city, but it shares a similar life expectancy for both men and women.
The male one is sitting at the exact same age, 81 years old, while the one for women is slightly lower, at 84.2 years old. Not quite a huge difference from Santa Clara, but still a notable one.
What makes Loudoun important to mention on our list is the fact that in 25 years, they have managed to increase the life expectancy of their residents significantly! A study has shown that between 1985 and 2010, the life expectancy for women increased by 7.8 years, while the one for men increased by an impressive 9.6 years!
If you do love a more temperate climate like the one Virginia has, then you may be in the category that could increase their life expectancy by quite a hefty margin!
If you are interested in the international blue zones of the world and what we can learn from them to apply to our lives so we can hopefully live just as much as they do, we recommend you read this book on the matter: The Blue Zones Secrets for Living Longer.
San Francisco, California.
Returning to sunny California, we have talked about the city and county around the bay as being some with the most longevity when it comes to their residents, so we cannot leave out San Francisco!
Since it is one of the most famous cities in the United States, it may not have been on many people’s radar, but when it comes to impressive feats and significant increases in longevity, we cannot leave this city off the longevity map.
In the same 25 years as Loudoun, San Francisco has also worked on increasing their longevity—for women, only by 6 years—but for men, the increase has been even more significant, sitting at 10.6 years!
Coupled with the fact that they have the lowest proportions of obesity in the country (with it being the number one for the lowest percentage of obese men and amongst the lowest for obese women), you can see how living here could improve your life!
Between 1985 and 2010, life expectancy in San Francisco increased by six years for women and 10.6 years for men. San Francisco also has the lowest proportion of obese males of any county in the country and is among the lowest for female obesity.
If you have been fascinated by the idea of blue zones but are not yet sure there is any merit to them, we have got you back. Read about all the enchanting blue zones around the world and what makes them special in this article here!
