Long Life in WA, OR, CA? How Old is Too Old for President? Shock!
It's an age-old obsession. An obsession that asks many questions.
It's our obsession with age. How old do we look? Do we look younger than we are, older than we are, or do we look our age? How does society view the topic of age, and how does it differ for men and women? How long can we expect to live?
When Are Women in America Considered to be in Their Prime? Is That Even a Thing?
Recently you may have heard Nikki Haley, former UN Ambassador and former Governor of the State of South Carolina announce her candidacy for the Republican nomination for President of the United States of America in the 2024 election. Not that anyone is counting, but Haley is 51 years of age. In her speech to announce her candidacy, she eluded to the advanced age of our current President Biden who is 80 now and would be 82 if re-elected and would be 86 by the end of his second term. The former Governor thinks it's time for a new, younger generation of leadership. Politics aside, that may sound appealing to some people.
On the other hand, while covering the announcement on the CNN morning show, co-host Don Lemon created a bit of a firestorm by essentially saying that Haley shouldn't be talking about people being too old, as she at 51 is past her prime. He doubled down by stating that women are considered in their prime in their 20s, 30s, or maybe 40s. He suggested that viewers and his co-hosts should 'Google It' to substantiate his claim.
Lemon since has apologized for his inartful comments, but, is he right? Was he simply talking about cultural perception and not about actual efficacy in and fitness for public office? I think so. After all, Don Lemon is older than Nikki Haley.
However, we started thinking about life expectancy as a way of determining if age should be a factor in selecting the person who will become the most powerful human being on the planet. Is it a safer bet to go with someone who is statistically likely to live through their entire term of office?
What is the Life Expectancy of Men and Women in the US?
For starters, we decided to narrow the scope of our research. If we ask what is currently the life expectancy of US residents, everyone is factored-in. Infants to centenarians and that wouldn't tell us as much relevant information. So we researched what is the life expectancy for Men and Women currently 50 years of age in the US.
According to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the current life expectancy of men and women in the United States who are currently aged 50 is as follows:
Men aged 50: The current life expectancy for men aged 50 is 31.5 years. This means that, on average, men who are currently 50 years old can expect to live until they are around 81.5 years old.
Women aged 50: The current life expectancy for women aged 50 is 34.4 years. This means that, on average, women who are currently 50 years old can expect to live until they are around 84.4 years old.
It should be obvious that life expectancy can vary based on a variety of factors, including geographic location, lifestyle choices, genetics, and overall health. These numbers are just averages and do not necessarily reflect an individual's unique circumstances.
At first glance, the data regarding the life expectancy of men could be a bit concerning for President Biden. He's already 80 and the average number above is 81.5. That would mean he wouldn't even make it until the end of his current term.
Not so fast though, because if you're someone who has already made it to 80, and you're reasonably healthy, as President Biden appears to be, you can expect to live, on average, for another 8.3 years. That would give the current president a couple of bonus years beyond his second term in office (and hopefully longer).
Who Lives Longer: Residents of Washington, Oregon, or California?
There is no real need to know, but we were curious which of the three west coast states live longer on average. It's close, but one state has a clear edge. I think it must be all of the sunshine.
According to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for 2020, the life expectancy at birth for residents of Washington, California, and Oregon are as follows:
- California: 80.9 years
- Washington: 80.3 years
- Oregon: 79.1 years
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