Wyoming's Teton County might be the place in America where people can expect to live the longest.
New data gathered for a community health assessment puts life expectancy in the county at a remarkable 94 years — about 15 years longer than the national average.
The figure, recently shared with Teton County commissioners by the county's health department, even surprised some local officials.
"Isn't that amazing?" Teton County Commissioner Len Carlman told Cowboy State Daily on Friday.
Carlman said the number immediately caught his attention.
"I'm just a regular citizen who thinks old age is something that everybody hopes to achieve," he said. "Ninety-four is such a big number."
The national life expectancy reached 79 years in 2024, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Teton County's new figure is considerably higher, and also far above Wyoming's statewide life expectancy of just under 78 years.
But does living in the shadow of the Teton Range really mean someone has a better chance of reaching their 90s?
The answer is complicated.
According to Teton County Health Department Director Dr. Travis Riddell, the new figure is a statistical estimate of life expectancy at birth, calculated using mortality data from 2022 through 2024.
Individual circumstances, personal choices and even how long someone has lived in Teton County can all influence longevity, Riddell told Cowboy State Daily.
"Maybe you haven't lived in this community your whole life," Riddell said. "Maybe decisions you've made have an outsized influence on your life expectancy."
The CDC's National Center for Health Statistics listed Teton County's average life expectancy at 87.6 years in 2025, followed in Wyoming by Sublette County at 80.2 and Johnson County at 79.3. The lowest is Fremont County at 70.5. But recent CDC figures also rate Teton County No. 1 nationally at. 94 years, followed by Mono County, California, at 93.
Either way, the numbers suggest something unusual is happening in Teton County.
A Mountain Of Longevity
As part of its health assessment, the Teton County Health Department examined mortality data from the CDC, U.S. Census Bureau and other sources to determine life expectancy in the county.
Researchers also compared Teton County with 12 other counties sharing similar characteristics, including mountain resort communities with relatively affluent populations.
Teton County topped the list at 94 years.
But other mountain communities weren't far behind.
Pitkin County, Colorado, home to Aspen, recorded a life expectancy of 92 years. Summit County, Colorado, which includes several popular ski communities, came in at 91.9 years, while Blaine County, Idaho, home to Sun Valley, recorded 90.2 years.
"I think that speaks to perhaps some of the reasons why we see this," Riddell said.
There are some obvious similarities among these communities, including access to outdoor recreation, relatively healthy populations and considerable wealth.
But Riddell cautioned against assuming any one of those characteristics explains the numbers.
The life expectancy estimates are based on mortality data, not an analysis of people's daily habits or lifestyles.
"Anything we talk about with the why is speculation," he said.
Nevertheless, some of the correlations are difficult to ignore.
Getting Outside And Staying Active
One thing Teton County has in abundance is opportunities to get outside and move.
"Access to recreation is off the charts in Teton County," Riddell said.
Whether it's skiing, hiking, biking, fishing or simply walking around town, physical activity is woven into the culture of Jackson Hole.
Carlman doesn't have to look far for an example of someone who has embraced an active lifestyle well into old age.
His 90-year-old mother-in-law, Beedee Ladd, regularly walks a couple of miles, even during Wyoming's icy winters.
When conditions get slippery, she wears Icebug shoes equipped with tungsten spikes to help keep her footing.
"She walks a couple miles at age 90 and it's keeping her going," Carlman said.
Cowboy State Daily reached out to Ladd but did not hear back before publication.
Other health indicators suggest Teton County residents may be doing something right.
According to the health department's latest data, about 9% of Teton County adults reported being current cigarette smokers in 2023, compared with 14.5% statewide and 11.5% nationally.
The county also has relatively low rates of obesity and heart disease, according to Riddell.
Whether those numbers reflect the influence of living in Teton County or the kinds of people who choose to live there is another question.
"You could ask, is this because of Teton County itself and the things we have here? Or is it because the people who live here value these things?" Riddell said. "A little bit of a chicken-or-egg conversation can be had here as well."
Growing Old, But Not Slowing Down
Teton County has had its share of residents who seem determined not to let age dictate what they can do.
Among them was Fred Miles, who made international headlines when he set a Guinness World Record for becoming the oldest person to paraglide at age 105 in 2023.
Miles, who died in 2024, was an example of the adventurous spirit that has long characterized Jackson Hole.
At Sage Living, a senior living community in Jackson, that philosophy is built into daily life.
The facility follows an approach to elder care that seeks to combat what it describes as three plagues of aging: Loneliness, helplessness and boredom, according to its website.
Rather than focusing exclusively on medical needs, Sage Living says it emphasizes companionship, meaningful activities and opportunities for residents to make choices about how they spend their days.
Those activities can include gardening, spending time with a resident therapy dog and riding bicycles through town.
The facility also arranges personalized experiences, from fishing excursions to sightseeing trips at the National Elk Refuge.
The goal is to help residents continue experiencing the activities and relationships that give their lives meaning.
Calls to Sage Living were not returned before publication.
Does Wealth Buy More Years?
Of course, Teton County is known for more than its mountains and outdoor recreation.
It's also one of the wealthiest counties in America.
And that raises another question: How much of the county's extraordinary life expectancy can be attributed to the financial resources available to its residents?
Riddell said access to resources, particularly health care and nutritious food, is an important part of the broader conversation about community health.
"We're living in a time when access to even basic health care is getting harder and harder," he said.
People with greater financial resources might have an easier time obtaining medical care, paying for insurance, buying nutritious food and participating in recreational activities.
But those advantages aren't necessarily shared equally by everyone who calls Teton County home.
"We know that it's often cheaper for people to get low-quality calories than high-quality calories," Riddell said.
That's why the health department is examining not only whether residents have enough food, but whether they have access to healthy food.
Health-care affordability is another major focus.
Riddell said this year's community-health survey includes an expanded series of questions about access to medical care, insurance coverage and affordability.
"We're seeing health insurance has become so much more expensive in the last couple of years," he said.
The department hopes to hear from about 1,500 residents as it works to better understand how people experience the local health-care system.
Those responses could help reveal disparities that aren't immediately apparent in a countywide life expectancy figure.
A Long History Of Living Longer
Teton County's longevity isn't a new phenomenon.
In 2020, U.S. News & World Report ranked Teton County 16th among America's 25 healthiest communities.
At the time, the county's life expectancy was estimated at 83.5 years, compared with a national median of 77.9 years.
Teton County rose to No. 15 in the publication's 2022 healthiest communities rankings, earning particularly strong scores for food and nutrition.
The latest data will be incorporated into Teton County's next community-health assessment, which the health department conducts every three years in partnership with St. John's Health.
While the statistical portion of the assessment is underway, Riddell said the department is beginning surveys and planning community discussions to learn more about residents' experiences.
The final report is expected in June 2027.
For Carlman, the most striking thing about the latest numbers isn't necessarily whether Teton County holds the national longevity record.
It's the possibility that more people are enjoying longer lives, and that there might be lessons worth learning from the community.
And if his 90-year-old mother-in-law is any indication, one of those lessons might be as simple as lacing up a good pair of walking shoes and heading outside.
Kate Meadows can be reached at kate@cowboystatedaily.com.
