AARP Research Insights on Livable Communities

AARP Research

Published August 10, 2023

AARP Research insights on livable communities highlights US adults' experiences with housing, transportation, community engagement, and aging in place.

Senior women having coffee on the front steps of a suburban home.

HOUSING

Age-friendly and affordable housing is a very important factor to 50-plus adults when considering where to live.

Nearly half of 50-plus adults say they would relocate to a different community to have more affordable housing options (45%) and housing that fits their changing needs as they age (41%). [Source: 2021 AARP Home & Community Preferences Survey: A National Survey of Adults Age 18-Plus, fielded June–July 2021.]
Results from another study show that adults 45-plus are very concerned about being able to afford to stay in their own home as they get older (56%). [Source: AARP Vital Voices 2019–2021, fielded August 2021.]

Most 50-plus adults are homeowners, and many will need to update their homes to allow them to age in place.

About two-thirds (67%) of adults 18-plus live in single family homes, and 64% of these adults own their home. Home ownership is even higher among 50-plus adults, with 74% living in single family homes, and 79% owning their home. [Source: 2021 AARP Home & Community Preferences Survey: A National Survey of Adults Age 18-Plus, fielded June–July 2021.]
A third (33%) of 50-plus adults believe they will have to modify their current home to make it safe and accessible so that they can continue to live there as they get older. The most cited modifications are in bathrooms (77%), improving access to and around the home (72%), and installing a medical emergency response system (60%). [Source: 2021 AARP Home & Community Preferences Survey: A National Survey of Adults Age 18-Plus, fielded June–July 2021.]
More than three in five 50-plus adults believe that having trustworthy and affordable home repair contractors (76%) and home repair services specifically for older adults and those with disabilities (61%) are very important to have in their community to ensure that people can continue to live independently as they age. [Source: 2021 AARP Home & Community Preferences Survey: A National Survey of Adults Age 18-Plus, fielded June–July 2021.]

Older adults believe it is important for communities to have homes that are located near essential services and include features and technologies that support independent living.

In-home technology is another feature that can reinforce living independently, and many 50-plus adults say it is important to have access to reliable and affordable in-home high-speed Internet (76%) that can support technology like smart appliances, voice activated home assistants, and doorbell cameras. [Source: 2021 AARP Home & Community Preferences Survey: A National Survey of Adults Age 18-Plus, fielded June–July 2021.]
Fifty-plus adults feel it is important for their community to have housing located near key services like grocery stores and health care facilities (63%). Having housing stock that supports peoples’ changing needs as they age is also important to older adults as more than half place high importance on having a variety of housing types that can fit people’s needs as they age such as smaller single-family homes, multi-family homes, and apartments (55%), and homes that have accessible features like no-step entries and wider doorways (53%).[Source: 2021 AARP Home & Community Preferences Survey: A National Survey of Adults Age 18-Plus, fielded June–July 2021.]

Although most older adults do not currently have accessory dwelling units (ADUs) on their property, many would consider building or living in one for caregiving purposes.

Only 4% of all adults and adults 50-plus report having an ADU on their property. However, a far higher percentage of adults (26%) and 50-plus adults (28%) say they would consider building an ADU.[Source: 2021 AARP Home & Community Preferences Survey: A National Survey of Adults Age 18-Plus, fielded June–July 2021.]
- Adults 50-plus adults are most motivated to build an ADU to have a place for a loved one who needs care (60%) and to provide a home for family members or friends in need (50%). [Source: 2021 AARP Home & Community Preferences Survey: A National Survey of Adults Age 18-Plus, fielded June–July 2021.]
- Other motiving factors are to have someone living close by (46%), and to have a place for a caregiver (42%) or a guest (36%) to stay. [Source: 2021 AARP Home & Community Preferences Survey: A National Survey of Adults Age 18-Plus, fielded June–July 2021.]
- On the other hand, more than seven in ten (71%) 50-plus adults say they would not build an ADU on their property simply because they don’t need one. Other factors that inhibit older adults from building an ADU are affording the construction cost (53%), not wanting the responsibility of being a landlord (43%), and incurring a potential increase in property taxes [Source: 2021 AARP Home & Community Preferences Survey: A National Survey of Adults Age 18-Plus, fielded June–July 2021.]
Many 50-plus adults say they would consider living in an ADU to live close to someone but still maintain their independence (69%) or if they needed help with daily activities (68%). [Source: 2021 AARP Home & Community Preferences Survey: A National Survey of Adults Age 18-Plus, fielded June–July 2021.]
In fact, one in six (16%) 50-plus adults are caregivers for an older loved one, and 38% of these adults say the person they are caring for lives with them. [Source: 2021 AARP Home & Community Preferences Survey: A National Survey of Adults Age 18-Plus, fielded June–July 2021.]
Over four in ten (46%) 50-plus adults are providing care for an older adult who is living on their own, and more than half (56%) say they are concerned about this person being able to remain living on their own. [Source: 2021 AARP Home & Community Preferences Survey: A National Survey of Adults Age 18-Plus, fielded June–July 2021.]
Almost another quarter (22%) believe they will be caregivers in the future. [Source: 2021 AARP Home & Community Preferences Survey: A National Survey of Adults Age 18-Plus, fielded June–July 2021.]

To support aging in place, adults 50-plus would also consider sharing their home as another option.

Seventy percent of 50-plus adults would consider sharing their home with a family member other than a spouse or a partner, and about half (51%) would consider entering this living arrangement with a friend. [Source: 2021 AARP Home & Community Preferences Survey: A National Survey of Adults Age 18-Plus, fielded June–July 2021.]

TRANSPORTATION

Nearly all 50-plus adults prefer to drive themselves, and a large majority want community features that support drivers.

Nine in ten (90%) 50-plus adults drive themselves. Far fewer walk (32%), have others drive them (23%), or use other transportation modes: bike (13%), public transportation (8%), ride share (7%), special transportation (5%), and taxi (3%). [Source: 2021 AARP Home & Community Preferences Survey: A National Survey of Adults Age 18-Plus, fielded June–July 2021.]
Given that most older adults drive, many believe it is important for their communities to have well-maintained streets (86%); easy to read traffic signs (82%); safe and enforced speed limits (77%); well-lit, accessible, and safe streets and intersections (73%); pedestrian crossings that are clearly marked with audio and visual signals (61%); and streets with dedicated, clearly marked bike lanes (41%). [Source: 2021 AARP Home & Community Preferences Survey: A National Survey of Adults Age 18-Plus, fielded June–July 2021.]
More than two-thirds (67%) also believe having sidewalks that are in good condition and safe for all users is an important community feature. [Source: 2021 AARP Home & Community Preferences Survey: A National Survey of Adults Age 18-Plus, fielded June–July 2021.]

Although few older adults use public transportation, many advocate for it in their communities.

Like all adults, 50-plus adults recognize the importance of having transportation alternatives in their community. More than half (53%) say having safe public transportation is a very important community feature. Nearly as many believe having public transportation should be well-maintained (48%), go where residents need to go (47%), runs on time (47%), and includes stops that are accessible to residents of all physical abilities (46%). Older adults also advocate for public transportation that is affordable (45%) and located close to their home (34%). [Source: 2021 AARP Home & Community Preferences Survey: A National Survey of Adults Age 18-Plus, fielded June–July 2021.]
Many 50-plus also see value in having a special transportation service for older residents and/or residents with disabilities (37%) and a taxi or ride share service (22%). [Source: 2021 AARP Home & Community Preferences Survey: A National Survey of Adults Age 18-Plus, fielded June–July 2021.]

OUTDOOR SPACES AND BUILDINGS

Adults 50-plus want to live in communities where they feel safe and supported, regardless of their physical ability, and can easily to get around using all transportation modes.

More than half of 50-plus adults would leave their community for a community that feels safer, more secure, and has little or no crime (56%). [Source: 2021 AARP Home & Community Preferences Survey: A National Survey of Adults Age 18-Plus, fielded June–July 2021.]

Older adults place high importance on having safe, crime-free, well-lit parks (75%) and safe trails where they can easily walk, bike, or run (62%). [Source: 2021 AARP Home & Community Preferences Survey: A National Survey of Adults Age 18-Plus, fielded June–July 2021.]
Adults 50-plus want their communities to have plans for evacuation and utility maintenance to support residents in times of natural disasters and extreme weather, with more than three-quarters (76%) placing high importance on this feature.[Source: 2021 AARP Home & Community Preferences Survey: A National Survey of Adults Age 18-Plus, fielded June–July 2021.]
Adults 50-plus also highly value having safe and accessible public buildings and spaces (64%) and ample seating in public areas, including in and around public buildings (51%). [Source: 2021 AARP Home & Community Preferences Survey: A National Survey of Adults Age 18-Plus, fielded June–July 2021.]
Given that driving is the main transportation mode for 90% of 50-plus adults, at least half want their communities to have convenient, affordable public parking, including spaces that accommodate people with disabilities (62%). [Source: 2021 AARP Home & Community Preferences Survey: A National Survey of Adults Age 18-Plus, fielded June–July 2021.]

Adults 50-plus want their communities to be walkable and feature key services, including local businesses.

Half or more 50-plus adults want safe and accessible sidewalks that are in good condition (67%) and walkable main street downtown areas made up of local businesses (50%) and a variety of restaurants and retail shops (58%). [Source: 2021 AARP Home & Community Preferences Survey: A National Survey of Adults Age 18-Plus, fielded June–July 2021.]
Four in five 50-plus adults place high importance on having conveniently located, high-quality health care services (80%) and grocery stores with healthy food options (80%), while half have an ardent desire for local farmers’ markets (49%). [Source: 2021 AARP Home & Community Preferences Survey: A National Survey of Adults Age 18-Plus, fielded June–July 2021.]

SOCIAL PARTICIPATION, RESPECT, AND INCLUSION

Adults 50-plus sometimes feel lonely and isolated and would consider moving to be closer to family members for support.

About a quarter of 50-plus adults report that they often or sometimes feel a lack of companionship (27%), isolated (27%), or left out (22%). [Source: 2021 AARP Home & Community Preferences Survey: A National Survey of Adults Age 18-Plus, fielded June–July 2021.]
However, nearly all older adults say they have friends or family they can always turn to for help (93%). [Source: 2021 AARP Home & Community Preferences Survey: A National Survey of Adults Age 18-Plus, fielded June–July 2021.]
Nearly half of 50-plus adults would leave their community to move closer to family (47%). [Source: 2021 AARP Home & Community Preferences Survey: A National Survey of Adults Age 18-Plus, fielded June–July 2021.]

Adults 50-plus seek out communities offering a variety of activities that promote social interaction and appeal to all residents regardless of race, ethnicity, age, and socioeconomic status.

About a quarter are motivated to relocate to another community to have better recreational activities (28%) and more opportunities for social interaction (23%) or to live in a more culturally diverse area with an ethnically and racially diverse population (21%). [Source: 2021 AARP Home & Community Preferences Survey: A National Survey of Adults Age 18-Plus, fielded June–July 2021.]
Results from another study reveal that over a third of 45-plus adults are very concerned about staying connected to others in their community and having opportunities to continue to socialize as they age (34%). [Source: AARP Vital Voices 2019–2021, fielded August 2021.]
Adults 50-plus believe it is important to live in communities that offer affordable activities for everyone (58%) and offer senior discounts (50%), including activities that focus on fitness (48%), culture (43%) and continuing education (35%). [Source: 2021 AARP Home & Community Preferences Survey: A National Survey of Adults Age 18-Plus, fielded June–July 2021.]
Older adults want their communities to have venues that cultivate and support social activities (42%). These venues need to be conveniently located (42%) and accessible to all residents (49%). [Source: 2021 AARP Home & Community Preferences Survey: A National Survey of Adults Age 18-Plus, fielded June–July 2021.]

Adults 50-plus believe that communities should have social activities that benefit specific groups of residents, especially older adults and military families.

Older adults place high importance on offering activities geared to specific residents, including active-duty military, veterans, and their families (55%); older adults (45%); and adults with dementia (41%). [Source: 2021 AARP Home & Community Preferences Survey: A National Survey of Adults Age 18-Plus, fielded June–July 2021.]
Older adults support intergenerational activities in their community (45%) and want local schools to include older adults in their activities (39%). [Source: 2021 AARP Home & Community Preferences Survey: A National Survey of Adults Age 18-Plus, fielded June–July 2021.]

Adults 50-plus are strong advocates for the equal treatment of all residents in their community.

More than three-quarters of 50-plus adults believe it is important for communities to ensure that all residents are treated equally regardless of race, gender, age, ethnic background, sexual orientation, or other differences (77%). [Source: 2021 AARP Home & Community Preferences Survey: A National Survey of Adults Age 18-Plus, fielded June–July 2021.]

More than three in five 50-plus adults feel it is important to have community-wide actions that reduce inequities in the well-being of all residents regardless of race and ethnicity (61%). [Source: 2021 AARP Home & Community Preferences Survey: A National Survey of Adults Age 18-Plus, fielded June–July 2021.]

CIVIC PARTICIPATION AND EMPLOYMENT

Half of 50-plus adults are actively working or seeking work and want to live in communities that foster employment for older adults and those with disabilities.

Approximately half of 50-plus adults are employed full or part-time (43%) or are unemployed and looking for work (4%). [Source: 2021 AARP Home & Community Preferences Survey: A National Survey of Adults Age 18-Plus, fielded June–July 2021.]
More than half of 50-plus adults would leave their community for one that offers better job opportunities (11%) or a lower cost of living (49%). [Source: 2021 AARP Home & Community Preferences Survey: A National Survey of Adults Age 18-Plus, fielded June–July 2021.]
Nearly a third (29%) of 50-plus adults say they or their spouse or partner has some type of disability that keeps them from fully working, going to school, or doing things like housework or other activities. [Source: 2021 AARP Home & Community Preferences Survey: A National Survey of Adults Age 18-Plus, fielded June–July 2021.]

Approximately three in five 50-plus adults believe communities should have policies that provide equal opportunities for older adults to continue working throughout their lives (58%). [Source: 2021 AARP Home & Community Preferences Survey: A National Survey of Adults Age 18-Plus, fielded June–July 2021.]
Comparable results from another study show that adults 45 and older highly value good job opportunities (62%) in their community and protection from age discrimination (66%). [Source: AARP Vital Voices 2019–2021, fielded August 2021.]
About half of 50-plus adults want communities to offer jobs that can accommodate people with disabilities (53%), a range of flexible job opportunities for older adults (51%), and job training opportunities for older adults who want to learn new skills or receive training in a different field of work (48%). [Source: 2021 AARP Home & Community Preferences Survey: A National Survey of Adults Age 18-Plus, fielded June–July 2021.]
Similarly, adults 45 and older are very interested in keeping up with technology to help them develop their job skills (40%), advance their career (39%), and learn new job skills (30%). [Source: AARP Vital Voices 2019–2021, fielded August 2021.]

Adults 50-plus want to give back to their community through volunteering.

Almost a third of older adults have volunteered for a nonprofit, charity, school, hospital, religious organization, or civic group in the last year (30%). [Source: 2021 AARP Home & Community Preferences Survey: A National Survey of Adults Age 18-Plus, fielded June–July 2021.]
Approximately half of 50-plus adults believe communities should provide opportunities for residents of all ages and backgrounds to participate on community councils or committees that make important decisions for communities and their residents (51%) and gather and discuss critical issues that impact their community (47%). [Source: 2021 AARP Home & Community Preferences Survey: A National Survey of Adults Age 18-Plus, fielded June–July 2021.]

Adults 50-plus believe it is important for communities to support local volunteers in a variety of ways.

Two in five older adults want to their communities to offer a wide range of volunteer activities (42%), easy ways to find out about these opportunities (41%), and training opportunities so that residents can perform their best in volunteer roles (40%). [Source: 2021 AARP Home & Community Preferences Survey: A National Survey of Adults Age 18-Plus, fielded June–July 2021.]
About half also want transportation to and from volunteer activities for residents who need it (47%), so everyone can have an equal opportunity to volunteer and give back to their community. [Source: 2021 AARP Home & Community Preferences Survey: A National Survey of Adults Age 18-Plus, fielded June–July 2021.]

COMMUNITY SUPPORT AND HEALTH SERVICES

Adults 50-plus want to continue living independently in their current community for as long as possible.

Nearly 80% of 50-plus adults want to remain in their own homes (77%) and communities (79%) throughout their life. [Source: 2021 AARP Home & Community Preferences Survey: A National Survey of Adults Age 18-Plus, fielded June–July 2021.]
60% are actively making life-long plans to stay in their community, either in their current home (48%) or a different home (12%). [Source: 2021 AARP Home & Community Preferences Survey: A National Survey of Adults Age 18-Plus, fielded June–July 2021.]
Results from another study of 45-plus adults supports the notion that older adults have a powerful desire to remain living in their own home as they age (84%). [Source: AARP Vital Voices 2019–2021, fielded August 2021.]
Adults 45-plus also want to be able to be able to get around their communities independently (86%). [Source: AARP Vital Voices 2019–2021, fielded August 2021.]

Adults 50-plus still want to remain in their own home, even if they need long-term care to help with daily activities, such as bathing, dressing, managing medications, or preparing meals.

Most 50-plus adults prefer to receive care in their own home, from both family and paid caregivers and (65%). [Source: 2021 AARP Home & Community Preferences Survey: A National Survey of Adults Age 18-Plus, fielded June–July 2021.]
About half say they would want to receive care in their home, only from a paid professional like a nurse or home health aide (50%) or only family (49%). [Source: 2021 AARP Home & Community Preferences Survey: A National Survey of Adults Age 18-Plus, fielded June–July 2021.]
In the event they need long-term care, far fewer 50-plus adults want to go to an assisted living facility (25%) or a nursing home (8%). [Source: 2021 AARP Home & Community Preferences Survey: A National Survey of Adults Age 18-Plus, fielded June–July 2021.]
In comparison, less than a third say they would choose to leave their community and go live in a continuing care community that offers independent living services as well as assisted living and nursing home care for those who need it (29%). [Source: 2021 AARP Home & Community Preferences Survey: A National Survey of Adults Age 18-Plus, fielded June–July 2021.]

Adults 50-plus are in good health, and they recognize the importance of access to quality health care in their community.

A large majority of 50-plus say they are in good to excellent health (83%). [Source: 2021 AARP Home & Community Preferences Survey: A National Survey of Adults Age 18-Plus, fielded June–July 2021.]
Eight in ten older adults believe it is very important for communities to have conveniently located, high-quality health care services (80%). [Source: 2021 AARP Home & Community Preferences Survey: A National Survey of Adults Age 18-Plus, fielded June–July 2021.]
Nearly three in five 50-plus adults say they would consider leaving their community for one that has better health care facilities (38%). [Source: 2021 AARP Home & Community Preferences Survey: A National Survey of Adults Age 18-Plus, fielded June–July 2021.][Source: 2021 AARP Home & Community Preferences Survey: A National Survey of Adults Age 18-Plus, fielded June–July 2021.]