The U.S. Census Bureau released a new report showing that about four million U.S. households with an adult age 65 or older had difficulty living in or using some features of their home.
The report, Aging-Ready Homes in the United States—Perception Versus Reality of Aging-Accessibility Needs: 2019, examines whether U.S. homes are prepared for an aging population and is based on data from the 2019 American Housing Survey (AHS).
Highlights:
- About 50 million or 40 percent of U.S. homes had what were considered to be the most basic, aging-ready features — a step-free entryway into the home and a bedroom and full bathroom on the first floor.
- New England had the smallest share (19.6 percent) of aging-ready homes.
- Over half (about 57 percent) of older households reported their home met their accessibility needs very well.
- Only six percent of older households had plans to renovate their home in the near future to improve accessibility.
- About four million or 11 percent of older households reported difficulty living in or using their home. The share increased to nearly 25 percent among households with a resident age 85 or older.
