Housing America's Seniors

America's growing elderly population is reshaping the market for housing, forcing planners and developers to modify their approach to housing.

1 minute read

July 30, 2000, 11:30 AM PDT

By Chris Steins @planetizen


America's growing elderly population is reshaping the market for elderly housing, forcing policymakers, community planners, and housing developers to modify their approach to housing seniors. One in 8 Americans today is a senior citizen, compared with only 1 in 25 at the dawn of the 20th century. By 2030, when most baby boomers will have retired, this ratio will have increased to 1 in 5. In Housing America's Seniors, the Joint Center for Housing Studies uses data from a wide range of sources—including the 1997 American Housing Survey and the 1993 National Institute on Aging's Assets and Health Dynamics—to document how America is aging and how the burgeoning senior population is influencing the housing industry. The Joint Center is interested in providing leaders in government, business, and the nonprofit sector with the knowledge and tools to formulate effective senior housing policies and strategies.

Thanks to Chris Steins

Thursday, June 1, 2000 in HUD News

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 9, 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

Aerial view of downtown San Antonio, Texas at night with rotating Tower of the Americas in foreground.

San Antonio and Austin are Fusing Into one Massive Megaregion

The region spanning the two central Texas cities is growing fast, posing challenges for local infrastructure and water supplies.

July 3, 2025 - Governing

White park shuttles with large Zion logo on side and red rock cliffs in background in Zion National Park.

Since Zion's Shuttles Went Electric “The Smog is Gone”

Visitors to Zion National Park can enjoy the canyon via the nation’s first fully electric park shuttle system.

3 hours ago - Reasons to Be Cheerful

Chart of federal transportation funding comparing Biden and Trump administration spending.

Trump Distributing DOT Safety Funds at 1/10 Rate of Biden

Funds for Safe Streets and other transportation safety and equity programs are being held up by administrative reviews and conflicts with the Trump administration’s priorities.

4 hours ago - Transportation for America

Close-up on yellow and black TAXI sign on top of beige car in central Munich, Germany.

German Cities Subsidize Taxis for Women Amid Wave of Violence

Free or low-cost taxi rides can help women navigate cities more safely, but critics say the programs don't address the root causes of violence against women.

5 hours ago - Bloomberg