The States that Keep Seniors Active
A review of one year of Google searches, spanning 4,753 fitness and lifestyle keywords, shows which states have the most active older adults. The leaders are not the warm-weather states.
By Dharam Khalsa·
What we found
Northern states lead
Alaska ranks first, with 88,242 searches per 100,000 older adults. Its seniors look up ways to stay physically capable more often than seniors anywhere else.
The Sun Belt trails
Florida (49th) and California (50th) rank last, even with weather that allows golf all year. Their seniors search for active-lifestyle terms less than seniors in any other state.
Strength beats leisure
“Working out” and “strength training” both draw more searches than golf and fishing. Older adults appear focused on staying capable, not on hobbies.
Cold states rank high
All five top states have harsh winters. The pattern suggests that a hard climate may push seniors to stay in shape.
Searches per 100,000 adults 65 and older in the top-ranked state
Alaska
How much higher the top state's search rate is than the bottom state's
Fitness and lifestyle keywords tracked over one year
Where seniors are most active
Each state is shaded by search volume per 100,000 residents aged 65 and over. Hover or tab through a state to see its figure. Only the ten highest and ten lowest states were published; the other thirty appear unranked.
We often mistake 'warm weather' for 'active weather.' Extreme heat in the South can force seniors indoors just as effectively as a blizzard does in the North. Seniors in rugged states like Alaska and Vermont maintain a higher baseline of fitness out of necessity — they aren't just exercising for leisure, they're training to keep their independence.
The full published rankings
The table can be sorted by any column, searched by state, or downloaded. Ranks 11 through 40 were not released.
↔ Scroll to see every column
| 1 | Alaska | 88,242 | 96,550 |
| 2 | Wyoming | 82,813 | 97,200 |
| 3 | Vermont | 79,402 | 117,900 |
| 4 | North Dakota | 77,266 | 108,400 |
| 5 | South Dakota | 67,026 | 117,900 |
| 6 | Delaware | 61,473 | 140,050 |
| 7 | Rhode Island | 60,272 | 132,700 |
| 8 | Montana | 51,466 | 124,250 |
| 9 | New Hampshire | 50,654 | 153,600 |
| 10 | Maine | 48,435 | 159,800 |
| 41 | Georgia | 13,565 | 239,500 |
| 42 | Ohio | 12,767 | 290,000 |
| 43 | North Carolina | 12,741 | 252,350 |
| 44 | Illinois | 12,701 | 288,900 |
| 45 | Michigan | 12,192 | 242,350 |
| 46 | Pennsylvania | 11,161 | 297,550 |
| 47 | Texas | 8,912 | 389,050 |
| 48 | New York | 8,879 | 333,600 |
| 49 | Florida | 7,697 | 392,100 |
| 50 | California | 7,363 | 480,450 |
Seeing 'working out' and 'strength training' take the top spots tells us that today's seniors are prioritizing longevity over leisure. It's a move away from aging gracefully to aging powerfully, and the search behavior proves it.
What seniors are searching for
The chart shows national search volume per 100,000 older adults. Bars use a square-root scale so smaller categories stay visible. The figure on each bar is the actual number.
- 1Working out3,499
- 2Games743
- 3Strength training731
- 4Cardio equipment exercise107
- 5Golf106
- 6Walking94
- 7Lawn, garden, and plant care38
- 8Hiking7
- 9Racquet sports5
- 10Biking4
Methodology
Overview
This study ranks states by how active their older residents are. It measures Google search behavior in categories that include lawn and garden care, games, walking, and working out.
Data collection
We measured the search volume of 4,753 keywords in Google Keyword Planner for January through December 2025. The list includes broad terms and long-tail queries, such as “adaptive gardening for seniors” and “strength training exercises for older adults.”
Scoring and normalization
Total search volume was normalized by each state's 2024 population aged 65 and over from the U.S. Census Bureau. Final rankings use a Trend Interest Score. It gives equal weight to raw search volume and population-adjusted volume as Z-scores, then rescales the result from 0 to 100.
