You're Likely to Live Longer if You Live in this Maine City

I always thought people lived longer in the country.

Honestly, I think I may have thought that as a younger adult. After years of city living, I assumed people out in the woods would just have better quality of life. But when you get a bit older (ugh) you start to think about things like the distance to the hospital, and what roads are like in winter.

All these things will inevitably influence where you live. But if you had to pick one spot in Maine where you'd assume people lived the longest, where would it be? Near the ocean in Bar Harbor? Maybe the idyllic woods of the Baxter region? What if I told you, that if you wanted to live longest, you'd need to hunker down in the big city?

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If you wanna see 90, you may want to move to Portland.

virsuziglis

Business Insider published a study to see which US cities that people had the longest lifespans in. While you might assume Bar Harbor would be at the top of the list... Nope. The average lifespan of someone living in Portland is 87.8 years. We ties with the #1 city, which is Salt Lake City.

RuthBlack

This actually even beats Maine's overall life expectancy, which is only around 78 years old. so it would seem that by simply living in Portland, you could add nearly another 10 years to your life. That ain't bad. Granted, country folk may not love the hustle and bustle of Portland. But hey... it's your life.

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How is this all calculated?

Like most things, it's all about location. In a nutshell, people who live in more metropolitan areas tend to drive less and walk more, and frankly, tend to have more money. Plus, if you're in a city, you usually have more access to healthcare options. That will also likely add a few years.

So while we all have our own opinions about Portland, it just may be the answer to your longevity concerns. I mean, for my money, I still think I'd like to head to Bar Harbor if I had the choice. No offense Portland. Get your own Thunder Hole, and maybe I'll consider it.

Hmmm... what about vacations though?