You’ll live the longest if you live in this part of NJ

Would you really want to live forever? Wouldn’t you get bored of it all? But most people seem to try.

Does it matter where you live?

There’s one New Jersey county where people live the longest. Of course, you could debate to the end of your long life why exactly that is.

Before I tell you which county in New Jersey lives the longest you should know where it’s coming from. The University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute has their 2024 County Health Rankings and Roadmaps. From that data they can see down to a county level where people live longer.

In New Jersey, the average lifespan is 79.2 years. We’re not among the states with the longest life expectancies. Those are Hawaii, California, New York, Minnesota, and Massachusetts. Nor are we among the ones with the lowest like Mississippi, West Virginia, Alabama, Kentucky, and Tennessee. We’re in that great middle.

But which New Jersey counties have the most longevity?

5th is Middlesex County with a life expectancy of 80.3 years.

Next is Morris County at 81.7 years old.

3rd place is Somerset County at 81.8 years old.

Bergen County is in second place at 81.9 years.

Data was released by Hunterdon County Commissioner Director Jeff Kuhl. He must have been quite proud, because outliving the nearest county by a full year was his own Hunterdon County. That’s where people live the longest, to an average of 82.9 years. That’s 3.7 years beyond the state average.

What accounts for Hunterdon being New Jersey’s longest living county? That could be debated. But Hunterdon has 80% of its population having a primary care physician. And the ratio of patients to primary care physician is 820 to 1 compared to a county like Salem where it’s 2,722 to 1. Hunterdon Medical Center has also emphasized preventative care more than other facilities in other counties.

Funny that the county with the longest life expectancy is the same county that has the Flemington Circle where you see your life pass before your eyes every time you enter it.