Editor's Note: This story originally appeared on Safe Step.
Globally, living within an extended family household is the most common arrangement for seniors and older individuals.
But in the United States, older people are actually more likely to live alone or with a partner than with their own adult children, grandchildren, or other relatives.
According to a Pew Research Center study, 27% of U.S. adults age 60 and older live alone.
The share of seniors living alone varies by location.
To determine the locations with the most seniors living alone, researchers at Safe Step walk-in tub analyzed the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Find details on our methodology at the end.
Here are the U.S. metropolitan areas with the most seniors living alone.
15. Birmingham-Hoover, AL
- Percentage of seniors living alone: 27.8%
- Total seniors living alone: 51,920
- Percentage of seniors living alone that are women: 67.4%
- Percentage of seniors with difficulty walking: 22.9%
- Percentage of seniors with self-care difficulty: 8.8%
14. Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
- Percentage of seniors living alone: 27.8%
- Total seniors living alone: 290,468
- Percentage of seniors living alone that are women: 68.7%
- Percentage of seniors with difficulty walking: 20.1%
- Percentage of seniors with self-care difficulty: 7.0%
13. New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Percentage of seniors living alone: 27.9%
- Total seniors living alone: 60,953
- Percentage of seniors living alone that are women: 65.4%
- Percentage of seniors with difficulty walking: 23.7%
- Percentage of seniors with self-care difficulty: 8.4%
12. Memphis, TN-MS-AR
- Percentage of seniors living alone: 28.1%
- Total seniors living alone: 56,034
- Percentage of seniors living alone that are women: 71.0%
- Percentage of seniors with difficulty walking: 20.9%
- Percentage of seniors with self-care difficulty: 6.8%
11. Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
- Percentage of seniors living alone: 28.1%
- Total seniors living alone: 101,389
- Percentage of seniors living alone that are women: 66.2%
- Percentage of seniors with difficulty walking: 21.3%
- Percentage of seniors with self-care difficulty: 7.4%
10. Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI
- Percentage of seniors living alone: 28.3%
- Total seniors living alone: 156,451
- Percentage of seniors living alone that are women: 68.8%
- Percentage of seniors with difficulty walking: 15.5%
- Percentage of seniors with self-care difficulty: 5.9%
9. Rochester, NY
- Percentage of seniors living alone: 28.4%
- Total seniors living alone: 58,585
- Percentage of seniors living alone that are women: 64.7%
- Percentage of seniors with difficulty walking: 18.7%
- Percentage of seniors with self-care difficulty: 6.3%
8. St. Louis, MO-IL
- Percentage of seniors living alone: 28.4%
- Total seniors living alone: 139,840
- Percentage of seniors living alone that are women: 68.1%
- Percentage of seniors with difficulty walking: 20.1%
- Percentage of seniors with self-care difficulty: 6.3%
7. Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
- Percentage of seniors living alone: 28.4%
- Total seniors living alone: 214,701
- Percentage of seniors living alone that are women: 67.2%
- Percentage of seniors with difficulty walking: 20.8%
- Percentage of seniors with self-care difficulty: 7.2%
6. Hartford-East Hartford-Middletown, CT
- Percentage of seniors living alone: 28.6%
- Total seniors living alone: 62,959
- Percentage of seniors living alone that are women: 68.8%
- Percentage of seniors with difficulty walking: 17.0%
- Percentage of seniors with self-care difficulty: 5.9%
5. Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
- Percentage of seniors living alone: 28.6%
- Total seniors living alone: 86,228
- Percentage of seniors living alone that are women: 69.4%
- Percentage of seniors with difficulty walking: 19.2%
- Percentage of seniors with self-care difficulty: 6.8%
4. Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI
- Percentage of seniors living alone: 30.2%
- Total seniors living alone: 77,973
- Percentage of seniors living alone that are women: 65.8%
- Percentage of seniors with difficulty walking:16.4%
- Percentage of seniors with self-care difficulty: 5.6%
3. Pittsburgh, PA
- Percentage of seniors living alone: 30.4%
- Total seniors living alone: 148,988
- Percentage of seniors living alone that are women: 65.7%
- Percentage of seniors with difficulty walking: 19.8%
- Percentage of seniors with self-care difficulty: 6.0%
2. Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Percentage of seniors living alone: 32.3%
- Total seniors living alone: 129,811
- Percentage of seniors living alone that are women: 66.5%
- Percentage of seniors with difficulty walking: 20.4%
- Percentage of seniors with self-care difficulty: 6.5%
1. Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY
- Percentage of seniors living alone: 34.1%
- Total seniors living alone: 75,606
- Percentage of seniors living alone that are women: 65.9%
- Percentage of seniors with difficulty walking: 18.4%
- Percentage of seniors with self-care difficulty: 5.6%
Methodology
To determine the locations with the most seniors living alone, researchers at Safe Step walk-in tub analyzed the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2021 American Community Survey.
The researchers ranked locations according to the percentage of seniors (age 65 and older) living alone. In the event of a tie, the location with the greater total number of seniors living alone was ranked higher.
To improve relevance, only metropolitan areas with at least 100,000 residents were included.
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