Utilizing Louisiana State Bureau of Vital Statistics and U.S. Census data, longevity trends with residence comparisons were examined for all persons 65 or over who died between 1962 and 1974, who were Louisiana residents at the time of death, and whose death was not due to external violence. Every third year in the 12 year period was arbitrarily selected as a sample year. Altogether, 14,420 deaths of persons over 65 were recorded in 1962; 15,528 in 1965; 16,207 in 1968; 16,018 in 1971; and 16,893 in 1974. The Comparative Mortality Index (CMI), the General Index of Longevity (GIL), and the Level of Longevity of the Elderly (LLE) were constructed for analytical purposes. The findings were: the CMI indicated that for Louisiana aged as a group and for urban Louisiana aged, mortality rates decreased during the period 1962-74; for the rural Louisiana aged the CMI showed a decreasing pattern from 1962 to 1971 with a slight increase between 1971-74; the GIL definitely showed that Louisianians were living longer and that rural Louisianians had a substantial longevity advantage between 1962-74 over urban Louisianians; the LLE showed an increase in longevity for Louisianians over 60 years old as a whole and especially for rural Louisianians, while urban Louisianians over 60 were surviving at a decreasing rate, according to their LLE. (JC)