A Longer Life: Is It Worth Moving Out of Louisiana?

Since we aren't even a full week into the new year, hopefully you are still faring well with your New Year's resolution.

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In a lot of cases, that resolution centers on good health, or at least improved health.  Some might have quit smoking, others are hitting the gym each morning, and many are sticking to their newly found diet.

Most all of these resolutions were born from a desire for a healthier life and to live longer, but what many don't realize is that the answer to a longer life might be a lot simpler than expected.

In research released by nicerx.com, we are reminded that a number of variables come in to play regarding overall life expectancy including diet and exercise, health and genetics and a little dose of luck, but apparently some states are just prone to living longer and when it comes to the states with the shortest life expectancies, there are only two that are worse than Louisiana.

Louisiana's Life Expectancy Isn't The Lowest, But It's Really Close

With Louisiana's average life expectancy of only 73.1 years, only West Virginia with 72.8 years and Mississippi with 71.9 years are worse than what we have in the Bayou State.

So where would you possibly move to increase your odds of living a little longer?

Hawaii would be an excellent choice.  Of all fifty states, Hawaiians live the longest with a life expectancy of 80.7 years.  That's a full 8 years longer than ours, and if you can afford it, the quality of life there isn't too shabby from what I've been told.

Which States Have The Longest Life Expectancy?

Don't think you could afford to live among the islanders? There are still some other great choices. Datacommons.org listed the ten states with the highest life expectancy:

1. Hawaii
2. Washington
3. Minnesota
4. New Hampshire
5. Massachusetts
6. California
7. Vermont
8. Oregon
9. Utah
10. Idaho

Looking at that list, the thought might occur to you like it did for me, that living a few extra years wouldn't be worth living in Massachusetts or some of these other states.

Besides, they have no idea how to make gumbo or boil crawfish in Vermont or Connecticut.

Which States Have The Shortest Life Expectancy?

1. Mississippi
2. West Virginia
3. Louisiana
4. Alabama
5. Kentucky
6. Arkansas
7. Tennessee
8. Oklahoma
9. New Mexico
10. South Carolina.

Isn't it odd that all 10 of those states are south of the Mason-Dixon Line?

Guess that means that if you can't afford to move to Hawaii, to live longer you'll have to become a Yankee.  Yeah, I'll just die sooner. Life's too good here in Louisiana.