Bodies in motion stay in motion… especially when a pickleball is lobbed overhead.
Few things are more important than maintaining an active lifestyle as we age. Given our interest in senior concerns, including final expense insurance, we recently analyzed data published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics to learn where seniors are most and least physically active.
The average senior is active for 95 minutes a day, which includes everything from gardening and cleaning the house to walking the dog and water skiing.
(Indeed, after golf, watersports are most often cited by sporty seniors.)
Now, we know what you’re thinking. According to this data, should we all expect to spend our golden years cleaning our houses?
Yes and no. Keep in mind, even an avid fisherman may only go fishing once a week, but there’s a little cleaning to do every day, so it adds up.
Where do the most active seniors live? Up north, apparently. How else are people supposed to stay warm up there?
Where the Most and Least Active Seniors Live
Staying active is vital for any stage of life, but it can be especially crucial as you age. Aside from the immediate benefits like improved sleep and lower blood pressure, the CDC shares that physical activity has many long-term benefits for people 65 years and older.
That includes improved heart health, reduced cancer risks, healthy weight maintenance, more independent living, increased bone strength, and improved balance and coordination. So, where are Americans taking advantage of these benefits most? Montana.
We found that, on average, seniors in Montana are active for about 146.2 minutes each day, which comes out to nearly two and a half hours. That is followed by Minnesota, where seniors spend about 137.5 minutes on physical activity each day. We move further east for third place as New Hampshire’s senior residents spend about 128 minutes a day engaging in their favorite activities.
Some parts of the country could use some encouragement to get out and get active, however, as we found that Rhode Island residents are active for the least amount of time on average, 68 minutes. That is followed by Louisiana and Oklahoma seniors at 69.4 minutes and 72.8 minutes, respectively.
While on the lower side of our state ranking, this time still aligns with the CDC’s recommendation for the amount of physical activity needed each week. Overall, adults 65 years and older should strive for 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activities, which equates to about 30 minutes daily, 5 days a week. So at more than 60 minutes a day, these seniors are still managing to double their minimum activity requirements.
The Most Popular Physical Activities Among Senior Citizens
Seniors can find many ways to be active. However, we wanted to learn more about the specific activities American seniors are turning to each day. Leading the way is interior cleaning. While not a glamorous activity, cleaning can improve your living environment and be a good way to get up off the couch and get moving.
Second on the list is lawn, garden, and houseplant care. For some, time tending to plants can be therapeutic, and, similar to interior cleaning, it can enhance the look of your home. Coming in third is playing games. From mahjong to bridge, seniors play many popular games that are more sedentary in nature, but they are not the only games being played. For some seniors, games like shuffleboard and bocce are a great way to be active while engaging in a bit of competitiveness.
Mobility and independence are priorities for seniors, so walking ranks fourth among the most popular activities. Whether you are simply taking a lap around the neighborhood or enjoying the scenery of a nearby walking trail, walking is a great way to be active and get outside and soak up some sun.
Each state’s favorite physical activity
After learning the most popular activities overall, we wanted to gain more insight into the specific activities seniors enjoy most by state. Overall, golfing was the most common activity by state as it claimed the top spot in 9 states, including California, Connecticut, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Nevada, New York, and South Carolina.
For second place, we have a tie as two activities tied with five states each. In Minnesota, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, seniors are most likely to spend their time outside fishing. Regardless of the body of water or the fish being caught, fishing is a peaceful way to enjoy some physical activity. Florida, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, and Oklahoma residents report that interior arrangement, decoration, and repairs are their favorite way to stay active.
Conclusion
Whether you are getting outside or moving around within your house, staying active is important. Even if you take only 30 minutes to get up and move, you are improving your health and overall well-being. At Choice Mutual, we know that you have a lot to consider as you get older, and that’s why our team of experts strives to help take some of the burden off your shoulders.
From quotes on final expense insurance to funeral cost calculators, we offer a variety of tools and support to help you plan for the future. Get started today by learning more about final expense insurance for seniors to see if it’s right for you or your loved one.
Methodology
For this analysis, we sourced data from the 2021, 2022, and 2023 American Time Use surveys, published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. We averaged the number of minutes individuals aged 60+ spent participating in sports, exercise, or recreation, as well as other physical activities like gardening and cleaning, by the number of individuals aged 60+ surveyed in each state. That gave us the number of active minutes per senior in each state. Only states with 30 or more seniors surveyed were included in our analysis. Finally, we also calculated the number of minutes seniors spent on each activity to find the most popular physical activities seniors engage in.
- Nationally licensed life insurance agent with over 15 years of experience
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Anthony Martin is a nationally licensed insurance expert with over 15 years of experience and has personally served over 10,000 clients with their life insurance needs. He frequently authors entrepreneurial and life insurance content for Forbes, Inc.com, Newsweek, Kiplinger, and Entreprenuer.com. Anthony has been consulted as an expert life insurance source for dozens of high-profile websites such as Forbes, Bankrate, Reuters, Fox Business, CNBC, Investopedia, Insurance.com, Yahoo Finance, and many more.
Choice Mutual often cites third-party websites to provide context and verification for specific claims made in our work. We only link to authoritative websites that provide accurate information. You can learn more about our editorial standards, which guide our mission of delivering factual and impartial content.
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CDC shares. https://www.cdc.gov/physical-activity-basics/health-benefits/older-adults.html#:~:text=Heart%20Health%3A%20lowers%20risk%20of,helps%20people%20live%20independently%20longer.
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CDC’s recommendation. https://www.cdc.gov/physical-activity-basics/guidelines/older-adults.html#:~:text=Every%20week%2C%20adults%2065%20and,75%20minutes%20at%20vigorous%20intensity.
