Assessing progress in United States age-friendly communities: are initiatives making a difference?

Population aging has led to the growth of Age-Friendly Community Initiatives (AFCIs), which focus on shaping community environments to support healthy aging and aging in place. AARP (formerly named the American Association of Retired Persons) leads the national effort in the United States. This study is the first to evaluate whether communities joining the AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities (NAFSC) are more age-friendly than others, and whether NAFSC members made progress over time.

This study used the national AARP Livability IndexTM data in 2015 and 2024, and identified 736 NAFSC community members and 12 NAFSC state members as of 2024. Livability includes the total livability score and seven categories: housing, neighborhood, transportation, environment, health, engagement, and opportunity. Multilevel mixed-effects linear regression models with state-level random effects were estimated, controlling for community racial/ethnic composition, age structure, income, population density, and metropolitan status.

NAFSC members had significantly higher total livability, neighborhood, transportation, and health scores than non-members in both years. NAFSC communities maintained their levels of engagement and opportunity, despite the national-level decrease in these two domains. Health lagged in communities with a higher share of older adults. Rural communities also lagged behind.

Supporting an aging population requires institutional action, indicated by joining the NAFSC. Encouraging social and civic engagement is also key to improving community livability and supporting aging in place. Greater attention is needed on health, and on rural communities. The age-friendly movement has the potential to benefit both older adults and people of all ages.