RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – A study showed that 15 cities (large or small) in São Paulo State are ranked among the best places in Brazil in which to grow old, according to the IDL (Urban Development Index for Longevity), estimated by the Aegon Mongeral Longevity Institute.
The researchers divided the cities into two categories, according to population: large (with over 100,000 inhabitants) and small (fewer than 100,000), analyzing them according to 50 indicators divided into seven variables (Health Care, Well-Being, Finance, Housing, Culture and Entertainment, Education and Labor, and General Indicators) to rank the cities.
Among the large cities, the state claimed first place with São Caetano do Sul, in addition to five other municipalities in the top ten: Santos (2nd), São Paulo (4th), Atibaia (8th), Catanduva (9th), and Americana (10th).
Nine small cities in São Paulo were ranked among the best: Adamantina (1st), Vinhedo (2nd), Lins (3rd), São João da Boa Vista (4th), Itapira (5th), Tupã (6th), Fernandópolis (7th), Votupuranga (8th), and Dracena (9th).
The study also found that the situation in these cities is uncommon in Brazil. After analyzing 876 municipalities with 160 million inhabitants, researchers found that over half of these municipalities are unsuitable for their populations’ longevity.
Below are the main features behind the successful ranking of São Paulo’s cities.
The best large cities in which to age in São Paulo State
1st place – São Caetano do Sul
The city is ranked #1 in the welfare variable, with emphasis on the proportion of physical fitness establishments and the proportion of physiotherapists.
2nd place – Santos
First placed in the last edition of the study, Santos ranked 2nd, with good performance in the variables Housing Finance and Culture and Engagement.
4th place – São Paulo City
The São Paulo capital skipped from 19th to 4th place between the ranking’s two editions, with the highest income of the elderly population in the country. However, the study emphasized that the city must still increase the number of psychologists and nurses.
8th place – Atibaia
The city was among the best for the number of hospitals with neurosurgery units, low frequency of sexual, domestic violence and torture; and for the large number of physical fitness facilities.
9th place – Catanduva
A good percentage of teachers with higher education in Youth and Adult Education, and a low rate of unemployment among its population.
10th place – Americana
Education based on the Firjan Index of Municipal Development, a large number of psychologists and physical activity facilities.
Best small cities
1st place – Adamantina
The city of Adamantina ranks top in the list of small cities because of its high number of nursing and psychology professionals within the health network.
2nd place – Vinhedo
It is home to one of the highest GDPs in the metropolitan region of Campinas and one of the lowest rates of several types of violence, such as sexual and domestic abuse and torture.
3rd place – Lins
In addition to good rates in Finance and Housing, it offers a good network of financial services and offers condominiums for the elderly. It is the second municipality with the largest number of hospitals with an emergency neurosurgery unit.
4th place – São João da Boa Vista
It has a high income for the elderly population and good performance in the Wellness indices.
5th place – Itapira
The city of Itapira is the leader in the number of beds in the public and private healthcare network.
6th place – Tupã
Emphasis is placed on its municipal aging index and the number of beds available in the healthcare network.
7th place – Fernandópolis
The city of Fernandópolis is among the 15 with the smallest low-income population. It is also among the five cities with the lowest proportion of firearm-related homicides.
8th place – Votuporanga
Votuporanga is the best-rated city in the Education and Labor variable, taking as an example of the good performance in the age-grade distortion rate. The city also has one of the five largest offers of nursing professionals among small cities.
9th place – Dracena
It has good municipal development indicators in education and psychology professionals offer.
Source: R7