U.S. Communities Are Getting Older and More Livable as New Research Shows Steady Progress
The aging of the United States population is often discussed in alarmist terms, usually framed as a looming social or economic crisis. However, new research suggests a far more constructive reality. Across the country, many communities are not only getting older but are also becoming more livable, more inclusive, and better equipped to support residents as they age.
A recent study led by Cornell University researchers examined how American communities have changed over the past decade using data from the AARP Livability Index, a tool designed to measure how well places support quality of life, especially for older adults. The findings show that aging does not have to mean decline. In fact, it can serve as a powerful driver for building healthier, more connected, and more accessible communities for people of all ages.
A Decade of Data on Community Livability
The research analyzed nearly 650 counties, cities, and towns that participated in the AARP Livability Index consistently between 2015 and 2024. These locations span 10 U.S. states and represent a wide range of urban, suburban, and rural settings.
The results were striking. About 70% of these participating communities improved their overall livability scores during the decade. The remaining communities did not decline; instead, they had already started with relatively high scores in 2015, leaving less room for improvement.
Beyond these official participants, the researchers also examined data from approximately 31,000 other U.S. communities that are not part of AARP’s age-friendly network. These places also showed progress over time, although their improvements were generally smaller and less consistent than those seen in communities actively engaged with the Livability Index.
What the AARP Livability Index Measures
To understand the significance of the findings, it helps to know what the AARP Livability Index actually tracks. Launched in 2015, the index uses a mix of public and private data to monitor more than 61 indicators across seven key domains:
- Health
- Neighborhood
- Housing
- Transportation
- Opportunity
- Civic engagement
- Environment
These indicators range from practical measures like monthly housing costs and access to public transportation to broader factors such as social connection, inclusion, and whether age-friendly principles are incorporated into local planning documents.
The goal of the index is not just to rank communities, but to encourage local governments, planners, and residents to pay closer attention to policies that support aging in place and overall well-being.
Where Communities Are Improving the Most
One of the most important insights from the study is that communities tend to make the greatest progress in areas they can directly control at the local level.
The strongest gains were seen in:
- Neighborhood design
- Transportation
- Civic engagement
Improvements in these areas often involve changes such as safer streets, better sidewalks, expanded transit options, and more opportunities for residents to participate in community decision-making. These types of changes can significantly improve daily life for older adults while also benefiting families, children, and people with disabilities.
Notably, civic engagement showed the largest improvement over the decade. Encouraging residents to share input on local services and amenities has proven to be a relatively low-cost and fast-moving strategy, compared to large infrastructure projects. Increased civic engagement is also associated with higher voter participation and reduced community division.
Urban Communities Lead, but Challenges Remain
The study found that urban areas are generally leading the way in becoming more age-friendly. Cities tend to score higher across multiple domains, including transportation, social opportunities, and access to services.
However, success comes with complications. One of the most persistent challenges identified in the research is housing affordability. As communities become more livable and desirable, housing demand often increases, pushing prices upward. This can make it harder for older adults on fixed incomes to remain in their neighborhoods.
Access to health care is another ongoing concern, particularly in regions where services are unevenly distributed or stretched thin.
Rural Communities Are Falling Behind
While urban areas are making notable progress, rural and smaller communities are lagging. These places often have higher proportions of older and lower-income residents, yet they face greater barriers to improvement.
The researchers suggest that part of this gap may stem from an urban bias in the indicators used by the Livability Index. Metrics such as public transit availability or walkability may not fully capture what livability looks like in rural contexts.
The study emphasizes the urgent need to identify age-friendly practices tailored specifically for rural and small communities, especially as the nation’s population continues to age.
Aging as an Opportunity, Not a Crisis
A central theme of the research is the idea that population aging should be viewed as an opportunity rather than a burden. An older population creates momentum for changes that many people already want, such as safer neighborhoods, better transportation, more inclusive public spaces, and stronger social connections.
Many age-friendly improvements are relatively simple and scalable. Examples include zero-step home entries, better street lighting, accessible transit planning, zoning reforms, and thoughtful housing development. While large-scale physical redesigns can be expensive and slow, many meaningful changes can happen incrementally at the local level.
Broader structural challenges, such as income inequality, rising housing costs, and public health issues like obesity, remain harder to solve and often require state or federal intervention. Still, the progress seen over the past decade shows that local action can make a real difference.
Why Livable Communities Benefit Everyone
Although the Livability Index focuses heavily on older adults, the research makes it clear that age-friendly communities are also better communities for everyone else. Features like safe streets, affordable housing, social inclusion, and accessible services improve quality of life across generations.
Shifting the focus away from narrow measures of economic productivity and toward community well-being can help reduce social division and build more resilient places. The study suggests that this shift is already underway in many parts of the country.
Looking Ahead
The findings arrive at a time when the U.S. population is continuing to age rapidly. Rather than treating this demographic shift as a problem to manage, the research points toward a more optimistic path—one where aging drives smarter planning, stronger communities, and better outcomes for people at every stage of life.
Progress has been real, measurable, and widespread, even if uneven. The next challenge is ensuring that rural and underserved communities are not left behind as the nation adapts to its changing demographic reality.
Research Reference:
Zhang, X., & Warner, M. (2025). Progress in Building Livable Communities: What do the AARP Livability Data Show? SocArXiv. https://doi.org/10.31235/osf.io/3z75n_v1
