Does Montana Rank Near The Top When It Comes To Life Expectancy?

Life is funny; when you're young, you can't wait to be older. When you're older, you wish you were young again.

I once heard someone say that the grass is always greener on the other side until you mow it. It makes a lot of sense when you think about it. However, now we hear things like 60 is the new 50 and 30 is the new 20. Through medicine, exercise, and better nutrition, folks live longer now than ever.

Here in Montana, we have good mountain living, so surely we rank near the top when it comes to living a long life, right? Yeah, not so much.

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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Montana doesn't even crack the Top 10 when it comes to states where people live the longest. We're more in the middle of the pack. According to the CDC, on average, Montanans can expect to live 76.8 years.

That certainly seems like a long time when you're 16, but when you're 45, you realize life goes by pretty quickly. So what is the leading cause of death here in Big Sky Country? The CDC reports that the number one killer of Montanans is heart disease.

As we know, the risk of heart disease can be reduced by increasing exercise and following a heart-healthy diet. Following heart disease, cancer, COVID-19, accidents, respiratory disease, and stroke are the top causes of death in Montana.

Wondering in which state people live the longest? That would be Hawaii with an average life span of just over 80 years. So, for those looking to live longer, it might be time to think about a lifestyle change. Or, if you're happy with your lifestyle and 76.8 years seems long enough, then by all means...party on.