Why Minnesotans Now Live Longer Than Most Americans

Turns out all those hotdish dinners and long walks around the lake might be paying off. A new national ranking shows that Minnesotans are outliving most of the country, and doing something very right along the way.

While living here in the North Star State, we're known for our 10,000 Lakes, for being 'Minneota Nice' (even if that's sometimes more of a back-handed compliment), and for our ability to tolerate even the roughest winters, filled with sub-zero temperatures and lots of snow.

Minnesota Ranked Among Top 5 States for Life Expectancy

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And it looks like that makes us some pretty hardy stock, as a new report shows that Minnesota is now one of the top five states in the country when it comes to life expectancy.

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According to the latest estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau, there are 5,830,405 residents who currently call Minnesota home. Just over 18 percent of that total are over the age of 65, meaning that just over 1,049,470 Minnesotans are in or nearly retirement age, so this story is especially good news.

New CDC Data Shows Rising Longevity Trends in the U.S.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) just recently reported that the life expectancy across the U.S. rose to 79 years in 2024, the highest mark in American history, and they expect that number to rise again in 2025. And while that's good news for the U.S., it's even better for seniors in Minnesota.

That's because the Gopher State is ranked as the fifth-best state overall when it comes to living the longest, according to this report from CEO World. According to their data, Minnesota's average life expectancy is 78.8, slightly under the new national average.

How Minnesota’s Life Expectancy Compares to Wisconsin and Iowa

But that score is better than 45 other states, including our neighbors to the east, behind the Cheddar Curtain over in Wisconsin (which placed 10th) and down in Iowa (which placed 11th). In fact, only New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Massachusetts had a higher life expectancy than Minnesota.

Hawaii took the top spot, beating the national average by nearly a year, coming in with an average life expectancy of 79.9 years, while Mississippi came in last at 70.7 years, nearly a full decade shorter than the national average.