Nearly a Third of Americans Want to Live to 100—What Drives the Desire for Extreme Longevity?

Recent Pew Research shows 29% of U.S. adults want to live to 100, often motivated by more time with family, curiosity about the future, and optimism about medical advances, while also emphasizing the importance of health and financial preparation for those extra decades. Sandor Gora/Shutterstock

According to a recent Pew Research Center survey of 8,750 U.S. adults, Americans say they would ideally live to an average age of 91, and 29% would like to reach age 100, even though U.S. life expectancy at birth remains around 78 years. At the same time, surveys reveal a strong preference for healthy years over simply more years. But what is behind the seemingly new desire for extreme longevity? Here’s what researchers have uncovered.

Strong Family Ties Often Top the List of Reasons People Want Extra Decades