Best places for a long life

Residents of these 25 counties enjoy some of the highest life expectancies in the U.S.

Best known for military history, Arlington (the city and county are synonymous) should be better known among prospective retirees for its smart growth policies, which promote physical fitness, air quality, and personal independence.

For decades, Arlington has been concentrating growth in urban villages along its two D.C. Metro lines. As a result, it's one of the few suburban counties in the nation where residents can live comfortably without a car. Nearly half of Arlington's population now lives in the urban village corridors, including a growing proportion of baby boomers moving back to the city.

Arlington was named America's best walking city in 2005 by an organization that knows a thing or two about stepping out: the American Podiatric Medical Association.

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