Men and women in Benton County have a life-expectancy of 80.9 years, making the county 15th in the nation for longevity, according to a recent study by the Harvard School of Public Health. Women generally live longer than men, within a given ethnic or economic group. And Benton County is no exception. Men can expect to live 79.1 years, and women 82.6 years.

(To be fair to our neighbors, Polk County was right up there at 80.9, too.)

What's new about the study is that it took U.S. Census data and analyzed them by geography as well as race and economic status. This revealed that there might be more complex forces at work lengthening or shortening our lives than students of public health once thought.

"There are a number of factors that influence healthy lifestyles," said Marie Harvey, chairwoman of Oregon State University's department of public health. Rather than looking at single factors such as diet or cigarette smoking, public health experts now look at whole environments.

For example, are there pleasant and safe places to walk in the community? Is fresh, organic food available and affordable? If healthy options are made accessible and easy, people are more likely to choose them.

Benton County is well-equipped to help people make healthy choices.

"It's easy to engage in exercise," Harvey said. "Look at all the bike paths, places to walk. And it's safe and beautiful."

We have fresh produce all year long, relatively low-stress lifestyles and clean air. The largest employers are Hewlett-Packard Co. and Oregon State University, neither of which is a major polluter.

"Education is linked to good health status," Harvey said, and Benton County residents are well-educated.

Having access to health care is important, too. Harvey rates the county's health department as excellent and progressive in getting people the care they need, even those with low incomes.

"In the past what people in public health tended to do was victim blaming - 'If you would eat right or if you stopped smoking, you'd be better off,'" Harvey said. But now researchers look at ways to enable people to engage in healthier behavior.

Maybe moving to Benton County could top the list.

By the numbers

Oregon ranked 15th in the nation for longevity of its residents based on 1999 data. The expected life expectancy being 77.8 years in the state. Residents of Benton and Polk counties are expected to live a bit longer than the rest of the state.

County Males Females

Baker 74.2 80.5

Benton 79.1 82.6

Clackamas 76.1 80.5

Clatsop 74.1 78.8

Columbia 74.2 78.8

Coos 73.4 78.8

Crook 74.1 78.4

Curry 73.4 78.8

Deschutes 76.7 80.7

Douglas 73.5 79.0

Gilliam 74.6 80.3

Grant 75.2 78.1

Harney 75.2 78.1

Hood River 74.6 80.3

Jackson 75.5 80.4

Jefferson 74.1 78.4

Josephine 74.1 79.5

Klamath 73.3 77.9

Lake 75.2 78.1

Lane 75.4 80.2

Lincoln 72.8 78.9

Linn 75.4 79.6

Malheur 76.2 80.2

Marion 74.8 80.0

Morrow 75.2 78.1

Multnomah 73.7 79.4

Polk 78.2 83.3

Sherman 74.6 80.3

Tillamook 74.3 80.1

Umatilla 74.3 80.1

Union 75.8 80.6

Wallowa 74.2 80.5

Wasco 74.6 80.3

Washington 77.5 81.2

Wheeler 74.1 78.4

Yamhill 76.2 79.8

Courtesy of Harvard School of Public Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention