This U.S. City Ranked No. 1 for Health and Wellness-and Could Be Home to the First Person to Live to 150

"The study examined the "scientific factors driving longevity and identified the conditions that make a city the most likely home for the first person to reach 150." To figure out where these longevity destinations are, they developed a predictive model of health and wellness that influences lifespan using existing research that focuses on aging, extreme longevity, genetics, community, and wellness."

""The Washington, D.C. metropolitan area ranks first for longevity, excelling across nearly all key metrics," the findings stated. D.C. ranked fourth for "social capital" and fourth in "wellness," along with high levels of "physical activity and lower-than-average smoking and excessive drinking rates." However, BestPlaces noted that the area did rank lower for its "plant-based dietary adoption," which is one way its citizens could attempt to live even longer."

A predictive model integrated variables such as gender, social capital, family ties, volunteering, religious participation, civic engagement, social associations, number of hospitals, air quality, education, and poverty rate to estimate longevity prospects across the 100 largest U.S. metropolitan areas. The Washington, D.C. metropolitan area ranked first overall, with high scores in social capital, wellness, physical activity, and lower-than-average smoking and excessive drinking. The D.C. area scored lower in plant-based dietary adoption. The San Francisco Bay Area ranked second, driven by strong physical activity, low obesity and smoking rates, and broad access to high-quality food.

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