Nashville's older population surges

The 65-and-up population in Nashville grew by 13% from 2020 to 2023, faster than any other age group.

Why it matters: The ongoing trend comes hand in hand with expanding needs Nashville and the state must address, including elder care, transportation and affordable housing.

• One in every seven Nashvillians is 65 or older, according to a city report . One in three older Nashvillians has one or more disabilities.

Threat level: A 2022 report from the state comptroller found Tennessee already "has a critical shortage of paid caregivers who help elderly and vulnerable adults continue to live in their homes rather than in nursing facilities."

The big picture: Nashville isn't alone. The 65-and-up boom is affecting all of the biggest cities in Tennessee and across the country, according to the Census Bureau's latest population estimates.

State of play: The retirement-age population has been the fastest-growing segment in Tennessee for decades.

• According to a 2023 analysis from the University of Tennessee , the state's retirement-age population is growing almost three times faster than the 25-54 population.

Between the lines: Retirees packing up and relocating here are likely driving at least some of the change in Tennessee, which doesn't have an income tax and boasts a relatively affordable cost of living.

• Tennessee has seen an upward trend in the share of the senior population that moved from a different state one year ago, according to UT.

What's next: The number of Tennesseans aged 60 and older is expected to increase by more than 300,000 over the next decade, according to state figures.

Go deeper: The share of older adults in the workforce has been generally rising since the late '80s. In Tennessee, census data shows 16.5% of adults aged 65 and up are working.

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