Seniors & Cities
Seniors & Cities: Where Do Most Seniors Live?
Which Cities Are Best For Them?
When most people think of cities, seniors, and retirees, Florida cities tend to pop into mind first. Cities such as Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Miami, St. Petersburg have maintained a reputation for being senior living hotspots for years. That hasn’t changed, but other cities that are growing in the number of senior residents and the cities that are considered the best for seniors might surprise you.
Since 2000, the senior population has increased 29% compared to the overall population growth of 12%. The percentage of Americans in the senior set has risen from 12.4% to 14.1%, and their share of the population is projected to climb to 19.3% by 2030. Forbes.com took a look at changes in the share of seniors in the populations of the largest metro areas in the United States from 2000 to 2013 to determine where seniors live and which regions have seen the biggest changes in age demographics. What the study found:
The highest overall concentrations of seniors are in Florida, the Northeast and Midwest.
In Florida, Tampa-St. Petersburg’s population includes the highest share of seniors in its population, at 18.2 percent. Miami shows nearly 17 percent of its population to be older than 65, ranking third in the nation and Jacksonville is 18th at 13.7 percent.
Outside of Florida, the second most senior region is in Pittsburgh where 18 percent of the population is over 65, followed by Cleveland, Rochester, N.Y.; Providence, R.I.; Hartford, Conn.; St. Louis and Detroit—all of which have about 14 percent of seniors comprising their populations.
The top cities going gray the fastest are, in order:
- Atlanta; Raleigh, N.C
- Austin, Texas
- San Jose, California
- Denver, Colorado
- Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas
- Jacksonville, Florida
- Houston, Texas
- Los Angeles, California
- Portland, Oregon
The study said that these cities aren’t seeing a massive influx of seniors moving there. Rather, many of these adults moved to these cities when they were younger, generally in search of economic opportunities or better lives and have aged there, which is interesting to consider.
The Milken Institute, a nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank, on the other hand, took a look at the top cities for seniors to age. Their report, titled the “Best Cities for Successful AgingTM” measures, compares, and ranks 352 U.S. metropolitan areas based on how well they enable older people to fulfill their potential, in their own lives as well as in their contributions to society and to others across the age spectrum. In their study, perhaps surprisingly, a Florida city did not come in at number one.
Topping the list of the 100 major metro areas was Madison, WI, which scored highly for health care, community engagement, and education and employment opportunities. The city not only has 11 highly rated hospitals in the area, but thanks to the University of Wisconsin there are plenty of jobs, cultural events, and classes to take. Residents also reported low rates of smoking and diabetes, and that they walked a lot. Find assisted living in Madison, WI.
Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA, which came in second on the list of major metro areas, generally enjoys financial well-being, low-cost of living, and abundant professional opportunities. An emerging health-care hub, there are plenty of health-care facilities and professionals in most areas, hospitals affiliated with med schools, and recreation, volunteerism, and YMCAs are available for older people. Find assisted living in Omaha, NE.
Coming in third on the list is Provo-Orem, UT. Provo has drawn many older residents in recent years. Slowed economic growth bumped it from its top spot in the Milken Institute’s 2012 ranking. But its healthy, engaged lifestyles and safe environment shine. In fact, the area has the fewest diabetes cases among the 100 large metros in the study. Find assisted living in Provo, UT.
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BLOG Date: January 15, 2015
Writer: Ryan Allen