City of Dublin has highest life expectancy in central Ohio, per new CDC report

DUBLIN, Ohio ( WCMH ) — The city of Dublin has the highest life expectancy in central Ohio, according to a new report by the Centers for Disease Control.

“I wasn’t surprised. We pride ourselves on providing a healthy and safe community,” said Mollie Steiner, Recreation Administrator for the city of Dublin.

The CDC said in 2021, the average life expectancy was 87.6 years in Dublin. Meanwhile, Ohio, as a whole, has the 12th lowest average in the country averaging 74.5 years.

WATCH: What factors put Dublin No. 1 in CDC report

Life expectancy can vary a lot city by city. The lowest in the state is on the west side of Columbus with an average of 60 years. Steiner said it’s important to recognize the many factors that go into life expectancy averages like socioeconomic status, access to healthcare and environmental conditions.

She said Dublin is doing well in all of these areas plus the city tries to provide many chances to stay active. “We’ve invested a lot of money in our infrastructure. We have over 150 miles of shared-use paths so people can be running, walking and biking. We have over 65 parks and green spaces,” said Steiner.

She said they also pride themselves in making sure to listen to the community. “We do a lot of surveying, master planning, research, listening to public input and feedback from our residents from focus groups to stakeholder interviews so we gather a lot of data and discussion points from our residents which allows us in turn to deliver on what they are asking for,” said Steiner.

For example, the community has been working on a Community Health Assessment to look for what residents need to stay healthy. Steiner also said the city is focused on helping people grow old in Dublin with strategies like Aging in Place. Its objectives are divided into three categories: Health, Wellness and Social Services, Civic Engagement and Employment, and Daily Living.

“It’s their mission to prioritize the best quality of life for our residents,” she said. Dublin has the 4th highest life expectancy in the state. The highest is in Stow, averaging 89.2 years.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV.