A New Study Reveals How Long People Actually Want to Live, And the Answer Will Surprise You
Since the beginning of time, people have chased the idea of living forever. Ancient myths dreamed of immortality, alchemists tried to bottle it, and today’s billionaires sink fortunes into longevity research. But when ordinary people are asked how long they actually want to stick around, the answers look very different. A new study out of Norway has provided the clearest picture yet, and the number most people landed on might surprise you.
The Norwegian Answer
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Researchers in Norway surveyed more than 800 people over the age of 60 and asked a simple but powerful question: “If you could choose freely, until which age would you wish to live?” The average answer came out to just over 91 years.
But the study didn’t stop there. Participants were also asked how that number would change under certain conditions. Dementia, chronic pain, or feeling like a burden to others cut down preferred lifespans dramatically. In fact, nearly nine out of ten people said that a dementia diagnosis would make them want to live fewer years. Chronic pain ranked nearly as high on the list of deal-breakers, while loneliness, poverty, and widowhood also lowered the numbers for many respondents.
This isn’t the first time researchers have asked people to put a number on their ideal lifespan. A German study years ago found the average preference at 85 years. In the United States, one smaller study put it around 93 years. The Norwegian study is unique because it considered how health conditions and life changes shift what people want for themselves.
The findings also challenged older assumptions. Some earlier studies suggested that men aimed higher than women, but in Norway, the difference was negligible. So, instead of endless life, people seem to want something much more realistic. They want a long enough stretch to enjoy the good years, but not so long that those years become filled with pain, confusion, or dependence.
Why Health Shapes The Answer
The idea of “healthy life expectancy” helps explain the results. In England, for example, men born in the early 2010s could expect around 63 years in good health, with overall life expectancy stretching close to 80. Women averaged about 64 years of good health, with total life expectancy over 83. That means nearly two decades of life may be lived in poor health.
The contrast is stark depending on where you live. In one English county, men enjoyed more than 70 years of healthy life, while in another, the number dropped closer to 55. For women, the gap was even larger, stretching nearly 20 years between the best and worst areas. When you consider that much of late life may involve battling chronic disease, it makes sense that many people would rather stop the clock before those years pile up.
The Science of Maximum Lifespan
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Of course, scientists are also busy calculating how long humans could theoretically survive. Some estimates put the upper limit around 140 years, while more recent computer models suggest 150 as the absolute ceiling. These models look at the body’s ability to recover from stress and illness and predict when that resilience eventually fails.
The longest confirmed lifespan on record belongs to Jeanne Calment of France, who lived to 122. That’s remarkable, but still well short of the theoretical maximum. Even if science one day pushes lifespans further, studies like the one in Norway show that most people aren’t interested in stretching life to its extreme edge.
It’s an important reminder for health systems too. As life expectancy continues to rise, the focus can’t just be on extending years. Ensuring those years are lived with dignity and good health is what people actually want.