Insights From the Latest Livability Index

The latest edition of the AARP Livability Index reveals the U.S. regions with more of the kinds of neighborhoods that offer quality of life benefits for residents of all ages.

2 minute read

December 9, 2020, 5:00 AM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Senior Pedestrians

Pavel L Photo and Video / Shutterstock

Whitney Airgood-Obycki and Jennifer Molinsky share insights from the latest AARP Livability Index, co-authored with the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University.

"The AARP Livability Index offers a multifaceted approach to understanding what makes communities livable for people of all ages. The index is composed of seven categories: engagement, environment, health, housing, neighborhood, opportunity, and transportation. Each category includes several metrics drawn from publicly available data sources," according to the article's explanation of the Livability Index.

Among the geographic themes to emerge from the study are that the Northeast and the Midwest tend to have the most livable neighborhoods, according to Airgood-Obycki and Molinsky. More specifically: "In the Northeast region, 32 percent of neighborhoods are in the top national quintile, as are 24 percent of those in the Midwest, 20 percent in the West, and just 9 percent in the South."

"On average, block groups in the Northeast also have the highest overall livability score of 53.8, nearly 5 points higher than the average of 49.0 in the South. Northeastern communities score higher than all other regions in three categories: engagement, neighborhood, and transportation."

The article concludes with a call to action: that all neighborhoods can be livable, no matter where they are found. "The great benefit of the Index is that it enables communities to recognize the features they already have and identify areas for improvement."

Tuesday, December 8, 2020 in Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

July 18 - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

July 18 - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17 - San José Spotlight