Aarp research insights on livable communities

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

AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS A VERY IMPORTANT FACTOR TO 50-PLUS ADULTS WHEN CONSIDERING WHERE TO LIVE.  MOST 50-PLUS ADULTS ARE HOMEOWNERS, AND MANY WILL NEED TO UPDATE THEIR HOMES TO ALLOW THEM TO

AGE IN PLACE.  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.  TO SUPPORT AGING IN PLACE,

ADULTS 50-PLUS WOULD ALSO CONSIDER SHARING THEIR HOME AS ANOTHER OPTION. 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. * 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. 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. 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. ADULTS 50-PLUS BELIEVE THAT COMMUNITIES SHOULD HAVE

SOCIAL ACTIVITIES THAT BENEFIT SPECIFIC GROUPS OF RESIDENTS, ESPECIALLY OLDER ADULTS AND MILITARY FAMILIES. 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 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. ADULTS 50-PLUS BELIEVE IT IS IMPORTANT FOR COMMUNITIES

TO SUPPORT LOCAL VOLUNTEERS IN A VARIETY OF WAYS. ADULTS 50-PLUS WANT TO CONTINUE LIVING INDEPENDENTLY IN THEIR CURRENT COMMUNITY FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE. 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. ADULTS 50-PLUS ARE IN GOOD HEALTH,

AND THEY RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF ACCESS TO QUALITY HEALTH CARE IN THEIR COMMUNITY.  RETURN TO AARP RESEARCH INSIGHTS