San Diego is getting old
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The only age group in San Diego that grew from 2020 to 2023 was 65 and up, according to the latest Census Bureau estimates.
Why it matters: An aging senior population puts specific demands on cities to accommodate the their needs, like affordable housing, transportation and health care.
By the numbers: San Diego's 65-plus population didn't grow as fast as some regions during the same three-year stretch — growing 9% while some U.S. cities saw increases of nearly 20%.
- But every other age group shrunk during those years, led by a 5.7% decrease among people 14 and younger.
The big picture: The country's 65-plus population grew by 9.4% during the three-year period, per the Census Bureau.
- Metro areas with notable growth in the age group include Raleigh, North Carolina (18.3%), Austin, Texas (17.3%) and Houston (15.3%).
Between the lines: AARP's Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities engages local leaders and provides resources and expertise at helping an aging population through its "eight domains of livability," which include:
- Indoor and outdoor public gathering spaces, transportation, housing, social participation, social inclusion, work and civic engagement, communication and information, and community and health services.
Zoom in: San Diego County and nine local cities have joined the network, including Oceanside, which followed suit in April.
- Membership does not mean a community is age friendly, AARP stresses, but that its leadership has committed to making itself more livable.
- The county and city of San Diego are both members, along with La Mesa, National City, Solana Beach, Carlsbad, Oceanside, Vista, Chula Vista and Imperial Beach.
The bottom line: Members pass age-friendly action plans and AARP grades all communities on their livability index, weighing factors like housing affordability and access, neighborhood proximity and security, and health access and quality.
- No local cities rank among the top 25 most livable in their size category, which for medium and large cities ranged from the mid-60s to high 50s.
- Solana Beach led local cities with a score of 57, followed by San Diego, Chula Vista and Imperial Beach (55); Vista, Carlsbad and the county (54); and La Mesa and Oceanside (53).