Last month, Tracy Kidder died at the age of 80. Kidder was a terrific long form journalist and I was a long-time reader and admirer of his work. His most recent book, Rough Sleepers, centered on the work of Dr. Jim O'Connell, founder of Boston's Healthcare for the Homeless. When the book - which I loved - was first published, I heard him speak and interviewed, alongside Jim O'Connell, at a Boston bookstore. 
I learned of his death when my friend Joyce texted me.
In response, I asked her "Remember when 80 used to sound old?" She replied "Thought same." Joyce and I are both 76. Next January, her husband turns 80. We are old. And when you're old, occasional thoughts do tend to turn to big questions, like realistically, how much longer?
I have no desire to live forever. Yet I'm still hoping for a few more good years - a decade or so - and would be fine with living to be the new old-old (90+) if I still have reasonably good health. I.e., I'm not demented, I'm mostly healthy, and can still live independently (or with a light assist). I'm okay (good thing) with the small depredations of aging: occasional forgetfulness, minor aches and minor pains, a bit less energy, a bit more creakiness. But, like pretty much every one of my age peers, I want to stay in this pre-Big Sleep state until I just die in my sleep some night (or afternoon, during my nap).
But this getting old thang does make me curious about longevity, so I was interested in a recent roundup of 2025's "Top Ten Longevity Cities." Where were they, and what made their residents so long-lived?
The group doing the rounding up are from SuperAge, a media platform dedicated to helping folks live better and longer which, as noted, I'm all for as long as longer and better go hand in hand. (I took their longevity quiz, and got the prediction that I'm likely to live to be 90. So phew. But the quiz was imperfect. It asked at what age your grandparents died, and you got to pick one age range. Depending on which grandparent, I could have chosen under 60 (both grandfathers - one in his mid 40's, the other in his early 50's) or over 90 (paternal grandmother: almost 97). But still, I found a predicted longevity of 90.18 years a comforting and interesting result. Nice to learn that, statistically speaking, I should have a few more years in which to actually accomplish something. (Guess I should start now. Or tomorrow, anyway.)
Here's how SuperAge landed on "the best longevity hotspots:"
...we analyzed multiple data sources, including global life expectancy reports, healthcare rankings, lifestyle studies, and socio-economic factors. Here’s what we looked at:Life Expectancy Data: We pulled numbers from the World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations, and national statistics agencies.
Healthcare Quality: Cities with universal healthcare, accessible medical services, and a strong emphasis on preventative care made the cut.
Diet and Nutrition: Places where whole foods, Mediterranean diets, and heart-healthy eating habits are the norm ranked highly.
Active Lifestyles: We considered regions with walkable cities, public transit, outdoor recreation, and cultural emphasis on movement.
Community and Social Well-Being: Social connection plays a huge role in longevity, so we focused on cities with strong community bonds, low crime rates, and high levels of life satisfaction.
Work-Life Balance: Stress is a silent killer. We highlighted cities with reasonable working hours, paid leave policies, and government-supported wellness initiatives.
And the 10 winners are:
- Seoul, South Korea - Life Expectancy: 83.5 years
- Madrid, Spain - Life Expectancy: 85.4 years
- Zurich, Switzerland - Life Expectancy: 84.0 years
- Quebec City, Canada - Life Expectancy: 82.5 years
- Melbourne, Australia - Life Expectancy: 83.2 years
- Singapore - Life Expectancy: 83.6 years
- Copenhagen, Denmark - Life Expectancy: 81.3 years
- Tokyo, Japan - Life Expectancy: 84.6 years
- Oslo, Norway - Life Expectancy: 83.0
- Boulder, Colorado - Life Expectancy: 82.4
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