56% of Americans would rather live a long life than a luxurious one

Audio By Carbonatix

56% of Americans would rather live a long life than a luxurious one

Longevity has become a growing priority for Americans: According to a new Hims study, more Americans would prefer to live a long life than a luxurious one. It seems that these days, living longer better communicates a vibe of “I’ve made it” than big-ticket items like a Birkin or a Bentley could.

For many, living longer is literally a life goal. More study participants indicated their top goal of the year was “prioritizing longevity” than paying off debt, having better sex, spending time intentionally, and other goals.

Generationally speaking, older respondents are unsurprisingly laser-focused on living longer, but Gen Zers are also getting on board. Nearly as many Gen Zers say they prioritize longevity as millennials (16% versus 18%, respectively).

Identifying Life Goals

We asked Americans to identify their top goals for the year. Longevity came in eighth place, right after creating a financial plan for the future.

Q: Which goals would you most like to achieve this year?

• 34% Save more
• 30% Focus on my mental health
• 27% Sleep more
• 25% Eat more nutrient-dense foods
• 25% Lose weight
• 23% Improve my hair or skin
• 23% Create a financial plan for my future
• 20% Prioritize longevity
• 19% Spend my time more intentionally
• 17% Learn more about my physical health
• 17% Reduce or pay off my debt
• 16% Spend my money more intentionally
• 14% Have better sex
• 14% Take measures to brace for the uncertain economy
• 13% See my doctors—get checkups I’ve been putting off
• 13% Change careers
• 9% Commit to a “No Buy 2025”
• 8% Splurge on myself more
• 7% Refinance my loans
• 2% Other
• 2% None of the above

The New Importance of Biological Age

The luxury of longevity isn’t just about living longer — it’s also a matter of looking and feeling markedly younger than your chronological age. Prioritizing your biological age (which is a metric of how you are aging in comparison to your date-based chronological age) is becoming increasingly possible, thanks to scientific advances like peptide injections, cellular revitalization, and metabolic medications. New technology is also helpful for preserving biological age: A growing selection of wearable devices, such as Whoop, Garmin, and GeroSense, analyze users’ health and lifestyle metrics to determine their "fitness age,” which, similar to biological age, estimates how old their body is based on their health.

With this growing focus on drinking from the fountain of youth and scientifically slowing or reversing aging, it follows that folks aren’t necessarily interested in accepting all aspects of natural aging. The majority of Americans say they’d rather fight aging (53%) than ease into it (47%). This sentiment is particularly true among women. Unlike men, 61% of whom still say they plan to grow old gracefully, 68% of women say they plan to fight aging at all costs.

The majority of Americans say they'd rather fight aging (53%) than ease into it (47%).

Many respondents believe that taking proactive health and lifestyle measures may increase their lifespan by a decade. Specifically, Americans reported that, on average, they think they’ll live to be 75, but with the help of certain lifestyle and health shifts, they could reach 85. Among the most optimistic Americans are residents of Miami and Sacramento, who say they could live to 91 if they take the right measures, and a full 20% of residents in Philadelphia and Tampa believe they’ll live to be 100 or more.

The Longevity Economy

Aspirations of living a long life are fueling a surge in health and wellness spending, even during a time when some people are questioning the economy and bracing for a financial downturn (14% say they are preparing for a recession). When asked, “What, if anything, are you spending more on this year than last?” the top answer choice was “My health” (56%); followed by travel and personal passions (54%); fashion and shopping (51%); socializing and entertainment (46%); and investments, such as education, stock, and real estate (36%). In other words, rather than splurging on another handbag, vacation, or fun night out, Americans are investing in more years of life, redirecting their discretionary dollars towards living better and hopefully longer.

• “Health” topped the list of categories that Americans say they are spending more on this year than last year.

Within the health category, Americans say they are spending the most each month on general health, weight loss, and mental health (see full breakdown in Health Spending by the Numbers).

Health Spending by the Numbers

Q: About how much did you spend in each category in an average month?

Common Barriers to Longevity

Motivation and self-control top all generations’ lists of the biggest barriers to taking the steps they feel they should take in order to extend their life. These steps include exercising, eating better, sleeping more, getting bloodwork done more regularly, and spending less time on screens (12% say putting down their phones could extend their life). The desire to live healthier is there, though many Americans report difficulty maintaining wellness goals over time.

With this in mind, the next frontier of longevity may just be staying motivated. Here are some expert-backed tips and simple routines to make your longevity life goals go the distance.

5 Tips for Living Life Better, Longer

Longevity isn’t just about living longer but living better. In fact, respondents were split on whether they’d like to live 10 years longer (51%) or five years better (49%), highlighting that each is important. Here are some tips on how to achieve both.

1. Be proactive. Regular checkups with your doctor are key to preventive healthcare, which includes identifying risk factors, preventing illnesses, and managing existing conditions before they worsen.
2. Get moving. Research supports that a great first step to living longer is… taking more steps. Adults who walked briskly for 30 minutes a day, five days a week, decreased risk of a number of health conditions, including cardiovascular disease and dementia.
3. Adopt a healthy eating plan. Focus on whole, minimally processed foods — fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats — while limiting added sugar and refined foods. One practical way to implement this is to build your grocery list around whole foods and deliberately swap out processed items (for example, beans instead of prepackaged side dishes, nuts instead of chips, or brown rice or quinoa instead of white rice).
4. Consider lab testing. A simple blood test can reveal a lot about your health. Advances in testing now make it easier and more affordable to measure biomarkers — the key indicators that reflect how your body is functioning. Tracking these markers can help guide personalized steps to maintain both mental and physical health.
5. Exercise your social skills. Regular social connection is associated with longer life expectancy. Older adults who maintain friendships and engage with their communities tend to live longer and report better well-being. Spending time with loved ones may be one of the most enjoyable — and effective — ways to support both mental and physical health.

Data & Methodology

Results come from an August 2025 online survey of 6,985 people. Participants include approximately (1) 5,000 18-to-65-year-old respondents in the top 50 metropolitan areas (100 respondents per city); (2) 5,000 18-to-65-year-old respondents in each of the 50 states (100 respondents per state); and (3) a nationally representative sample of 500 18-to-65-year-old respondents to contextualize results. These three categories are not mutually exclusive; some respondents fall within more than one category.

Findings were analyzed by more than 150 demographic and psychographic cuts. These include city, region, self-identified gender, age, race and ethnicity, relationship status, parenting status, sexual orientation (heterosexual, bisexual, gay, lesbian, pansexual, asexual, queer, etc.), fandoms (music, sports, etc.), and fitness and diet preferences, among other areas of interest.

All study data captured originate from this source, unless otherwise noted. Independent research firm Culture Co-op conducted and analyzed research and findings.

This story was produced by Hims and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.