You’ve probably wondered who actually holds the title. It’s a shifting target, honestly. One day it’s a quiet grandmother in Texas, and the next, the record books update because time, as it always does, moves on.
Right now, if you’re looking for the name at the very top of the list, you’re looking at Naomi Whitehead.
She’s 115.
Think about that for a second. She was born in 1910. When she arrived, William Howard Taft was in the White House. The Titanic hadn't even set sail yet. It's a level of longevity that feels almost like a glitch in the matrix, but Naomi is very real, living out her days in Pennsylvania after a lifetime that started on a farm in Georgia.
Who is the oldest person in the united states? Meet Naomi Whitehead
Naomi Whitehead officially became the oldest person in the United States on October 22, 2024. She took over the mantle following the passing of Elizabeth Francis, another legend who lived to be 115 years and 89 days.
Naomi’s story isn’t about biohacking or expensive green juices. It’s much grit-tier than that.
Born Naomi Washington in rural Georgia, she grew up picking cotton and tobacco. Hard, physical labor was just her reality. She’s outlived her husband, Sylvester Whitehead, and all three of her sons. That’s the heavy side of living this long—you see everyone else leave. But she’s still here.
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She’s got a massive family tree: grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and even great-great-great-grandchildren. Imagine being the person who can tell stories about the 1910s to a kid who will likely see the year 2100. It's a bridge between worlds.
The lifestyle of a 115-year-old
People always ask for the secret. "What do you eat? Do you exercise?"
Naomi's answer is pretty straightforward. She never smoked. She never drank alcohol. Mostly, she just credits "the Lord" and a lifetime of working hard. She spent her youth plowing fields and her later years enjoying simple things like cooking, drawing, and listening to music.
She lives at St. Paul’s Senior Living Community in Greenville, Pennsylvania now. She’s not just a record holder; she’s a local celebrity. When she turned 115 in September 2025, she got a citation from the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Kind of a "congrats on beating the game" trophy from the state.
Why these records are so hard to track
You might see different names pop up on different websites. It’s confusing.
The reason is "validation."
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Groups like the Gerontology Research Group (GRG) and LongeviQuest don't just take your word for it. They need receipts. Birth certificates, census records, marriage licenses—they cross-reference everything to make sure someone isn't just "claiming" to be 115.
There are plenty of people who say they are 120, but without the paperwork, they don't make the official list. Naomi Whitehead is "verified." Her life is documented.
Who else is on the list?
While Naomi is number one, she’s not alone in the "Supercentenarian" club (that’s the fancy word for people over 110).
- Bonita Gibson: Living in Michigan, she’s right up there at 114.
- Ilse Meingast: Another 113-year-old making the U.S. proud.
- Louise Signore: A New Yorker who famously attributed her long life to "never getting married." (She's 113).
It’s almost always women. Men just don't seem to have the same staying power. In fact, the oldest living man in the United States is usually much younger—currently Ed Martin (Edwin George Martin), who turned 110 recently.
Is 115 the new 100?
Not really. Reaching 110 is still incredibly rare. Only about 1 in 5 million people in the U.S. hit that milestone.
But we are seeing more of them. Better medicine, better sanitation, and maybe just better luck. But even with all our tech, nobody has yet beaten the all-time American record set by Sarah Knauss, who died in 1999 at the age of 119 years and 97 days.
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Sarah was a force. When she was told she was the oldest person in the world, she reportedly just said, "So what?"
Actionable ways to aim for 100 (or 115)
Look, genetics is about 70-80% of the game when you get past 95. If your parents didn't live long, you’ve got an uphill battle. But looking at people like Naomi Whitehead, there are themes we can actually use.
- Keep Moving: Naomi didn't go to the gym; she worked a farm. Low-intensity, consistent movement for decades is better than a 3-year stint of Crossfit followed by 20 years on a couch.
- Community Matters: These supercentenarians are almost always surrounded by family or a tight-knit community. Isolation is a literal killer.
- Simple Diets: Most of these folks grew up eating "real" food. Not "organic-keto-certified" stuff—just vegetables they grew and meat they raised.
- Resilience: You have to be mentally tough to outlive your own children. Developing a sense of purpose or faith seems to be the "X-factor" that keeps them going when things get quiet.
The Bottom Line
Naomi Whitehead is currently the oldest person in the United States. She’s a living museum of American history, from the horse-and-buggy days to the era of AI. If you want to keep up with who holds the title, keep an eye on the Gerontology Research Group—they are the ones who do the heavy lifting to ensure these incredible lives are remembered accurately.
To start your own longevity journey, focus on building a community of friends and family today. Research shows that social health is just as important as physical health when it comes to reaching those triple digits.