Hunterdon County, NJ may hold secret to long, healthy life

The secret to a long, healthy life is just 65 miles southwest of Manhattan.

Rural Hunterdon County in western New Jersey has been named the fourth-best community in the nation for health outcomes, a metric that takes into account the number of adults in poor health and life expectancy.

The rolling countryside that served as the backdrop for the sensational 1935 Lindbergh baby kidnapping trial ranks 35th overall in US News & World Report’s 2024 Healthiest Communities rankings.

It’s another feather in the cap of 129,000-strong Hunterdon, which recently placed No. 1 in New Jersey for life expectancy, with an average of 82.9 years. US life expectancy is 77.5 years.

“The open space, less densely developed area is a great asset to quality of life and less stress,” Hunterdon County Commissioner Director Jeff Kuhl crowed to The Post.

Kuhl — who represents the sixth generation of his family living on the same Hunterdon farmland — credits the county preserving around 38,000 acres of open space, offering free monthly health seminars for seniors and allowing local produce stands to proliferate for farm-to-table options.

The median sold home price in Hunterdon is $450,000, according to Realtor.com.

Besides Hunterdon, Morris County in New Jersey placed No. 16 on Tuesday’s healthiest communities list, while Nassau County was No. 29. Manhattan’s New York County lagged behind at No. 372.

Morris County Commissioner Director Christine Myers boasted about the county’s park system, top schools and access to premium healthcare.

“We invite everyone to come here, play a round of golf, go boating, swimming, hiking or biking; tour our farms, attend one of our many festivals, and shop our many local main streets,” Myers told The Post. “To visit us is to discover that Morris County is a refreshing breath of fresh air — literally, because we also annually rank as having some of the cleanest air in the nation.”

The top five US communities are Falls Church, Va., Los Alamos County, NM, Douglas County, Colo., Sioux County, Iowa, and Hamilton County, Ind.

US News crunched 92 health-related metrics such as environment, health care access, education, housing and public safety.