People Live Long and Healthy Lives In Connecticut

We have a lot of "snowbirds" in Waterford, as people have retired to sunnier climes with gentler taxes in states such as Florida. However, a recent survey by the U.S. Centers For Disease Control and Prevention found that Connecticut is one of the best places to grow old.

Specifically, it's the second best state to age, based on healthy life expectancy. The average lifespan for a Connecticut resident is 80.7 years—which won't come as a big surprise if you're a regular obituary reader. Connecticut was just pipped at the post by Hawaii, which is number one with a healthy life expectancy of 81.2 years.

Nationally, the average healthy life expectancy is 78.9 years and women live longer, healthier lives than men in every state. Typically, people living in Southern states have the lowest life expectancy. Mississippi has the country's worst healthy life expectancy at 75.8. The one exception is Florida, which came in fourth but was still beaten by Minnesota. Clearly, the weather isn't a major factor. Perhaps we're just hardier stock.