Survey names best and worst cities for aging in place, finds 90% desire to remain in home

A survey of 1,000 Americans ages 65 and older found that nearly 90% want to age in place in their own homes. The survey also listed the best and worst cities for aging in place based on cost of living, availability of care and life expectancy.

The survey, conducted by This Old House, asked respondents about their “plans, priorities, and perspectives on aging in place.” It also delved into the demographic trends behind aging-in-place goals and the costs that are often incurred by doing so.

Critically, 89% of those surveyed said they have a desire to remain in their homes as they grow older, a sentiment that is largely on par with other surveys of older Americans about where they want to live in their later years. Nearly 45% of respondents also shared that they would “refuse” to move into a congregate care setting like a nursing home.

Nearly half of respondents (47%) added that their current homes are unsuitable for supporting the accessibility needs that typically come with the natural aging process. And more than one-third of respondents (36%) said they cannot afford to make accessibility renovations on their home to better support their preferences.

The two key priorities for most respondents when determining where to age in place are the accessibility of health care services (59%), followed closely by housing costs (54%).

In assessing the top cities for aging in place, the outlet measured an area’s typical monthly costs of homeownership; regional price parity; senior-relevant care providers per 1,000 members of the older population; a quality score for home health aides in a given area; and life expectancy.

When taken together, these metrics point toward Rochester, New York, being the best city in the country for aging in place, according to the findings. Rochester’s monthly homeownership costs average $1,205. The city has 86 relevant caregivers per 1,000 senior residents and a life expectancy of 78.6 years. The other cities rounding out the top five include Grand Rapids, Michigan; Cleveland; Pittsburgh; and Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

The five worst cities for aging in place based on the same metrics correlate with some of the most expensive markets in the country. They include the California neighbors of San Francisco and Oakland, Seattle, Los Angeles and Denver.