Philadelphia's senior population is growing
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The Philadelphia area's 65-and-up population increased significantly from 2020 to 2023 while the region saw declines in nearly all other age groups.
Why it matters: Cities with growing senior populations must be mindful of older residents' specific needs, like affordable housing and transportation.
The big picture: The spike in seniors here matched the trend in other big U.S. cities, reflecting a broader national phenomenon.
- America's overall 65-plus population rose 9.4% between 2020 and 2023, to about 59.2 million people, per the U.S. Census Bureau.
By the numbers: The region's senior population increased by 95,000 residents, up 9.3%. The only other age group to see an increase was 15-to-24-year-olds, up 1.5%.
- We saw population declines for those 0-14 (-3.7%), 40-65 (-2.7%) and 25-39 (-.7%).
The total metro population remained relatively flat during that time (6.2 million), per Census data.
- But Philly proper shed about 3.3% of its residents, reversing a trend of steady increases in the decade leading up to the pandemic.
Zoom out: Other cities seeing big increases in the 65-and-older age group were Raleigh (+18.3%), Austin (+17.3) and Houston (+15.3%).
Between the lines: Retirees packing up and relocating are likely driving at least some of the change in cities with especially notable 65+ growth.
What they're saying: "While some metro areas saw increases in their youth population, and many saw gains in working-age populations, what's particularly remarkable is the near-universal increase in the older population for metro areas across the country," said Lauren Bowers, chief of the Census Bureau's Population Estimates Branch.