The top aging-friendly cities

Baby Boomers today own around 32 million homes in the U.S.— and the majority share a desire to downsize in the next few years, whether to move closer to family, head toward warmer weather, or find an easier-to-maintain home. However, selling a home today is complicated and time-consuming. Boomers may feel stuck in their current homes due to their favorable mortgage rates, rising home prices, and tightened inventory. 

The reality is that many of the homes Baby Boomers live in today are not set up to help them comfortably age in place. According to a recent report from the Census Bureau, less than half (40%) of U.S. homes have the most basic features – such as a step-free entryway into the home or a bedroom and full bathroom on the first floor — to be considered aging-ready. Adding in these aging-friendly renovations can be costly, and therefore prohibitive for some homeowners. 

At Opendoor, we focus on helping people move with ease so they can transition into the next phase of their lives, especially Boomers who are facing unique challenges in today’s housing market. To help this aging population find a home that fits their lifestyle needs, we uncovered the best cities in the U.S. with aging-friendly homes. 

What is an aging-friendly home? 

At a minimum, an aging-friendly home should have a bedroom and a full bathroom on the first floor. Yet less than half (40%) of U.S. homes have the most basic features to be considered aging-ready. About forty-three percent (43%) of older households say their home doesn’t meet their accessibility needs. Despite the lack of aging-friendly features, only 6% have plans to renovate their home in the near future to improve its accessibility.

There is an extreme shortage of aging-friendly homes in the U.S. A whopping four million older households report difficulty living in or using their home. Nearly half (46%) of homes require occupants to climb or descend at least one step to enter. 

The top 10 Opendoor aging-friendly cities in the U.S.

To help Boomers understand buying opportunities as they start their next chapter, we looked at Opendoor markets to uncover the top aging-friendly cities in the U.S. These cities have a high percentage of homes available with features that are beneficial to an aging community, including single-story homes, newly built homes, and homes with accessible layouts like living quarters on the first floor. 

Here are the top 10 aging-friendly cities in the US, according to Opendoor data: 

1. San Antonio, TX

2. Houston, TX

3. Dallas, TX

4. Phoenix, AZ

5. Tucson, AZ

6. Jacksonville, FL

7. Charleston, SC

8. Orlando, FL

9. Las Vegas, NV

10. Charlotte, NC

How Opendoor makes the selling process stress-free for retirees 

Moving is a personal decision, with many factors involved. According to our research, when Boomers do decide to sell their homes, their priorities include: 

• Getting the highest price (80%)

• Selling quickly (55%)

• Not having to do repairs (49%) 

• Not haggling with buyers (34%)

• Simplicity of the sale (30%)

At Opendoor, we provide customers with personalized selling options so they can make their next move with ease, whether that’s selling directly to Opendoor or listing on the market.  

We buy homes in age-restricted communities — typically neighborhoods with homeowners over the age of 55 — including homes in some gated communities and those built as early as the 1930s to 1950s. And while older homes may require renovations and expensive repairs before listing, selling to Opendoor allows customers to bypass the stress and hassle associated with making repairs. You can also avoid other related costs, from home inspection fees to cleaning and staging. We deduct costs for any anticipated repairs or home condition issues – mostly if anything is broken or can affect the safety, structure, or functionality of the home – from your final offer so you don’t have to pay cash upfront to sell the home. By selling directly to Opendoor, you can close an average of 3x faster than a traditional sale, giving you time back to plan for your future. 

For homeowners who have more flexibility, we also offer List with Opendoor in many of our markets. This enables you to list your home with the certainty of a cash offer from Opendoor in your back pocket. If you don’t get the buyer offers you’re looking for or want to stop showings, you can take our cash offer at any time within 30 days and move on your timeline. 

Whichever way you choose to buy or sell, Opendoor is here to help you into your second act. Visit Opendoor.com to learn more.

Methodology: Opendoor identified the top aging-friendly cities in the U.S. by analyzing which markets had the highest number of homes available with features beneficial to the 55+ community, including single-story homes, newly built homes, and homes with bedrooms on the first floor. With that market data, Opendoor identified the varying degrees of importance and identified the top ten markets based on that weight.