The Bay Area's population is getting older

The Bay Area's 65-and-up population grew from 2020 to 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's latest population estimates.

Why it matters: Cities with growing senior populations must be mindful of older residents' specific needs, like health care, transportation and affordable housing.

By the numbers: The San Francisco metro area's 65+ population was the only age group to increase from 2020 to 2023, growing 8.7%, according to census data.

• Meanwhile, the area's 14-and-under population declined nearly 9%.

The big picture: All of America's biggest metro areas saw an increase — some close to 20% — in their 65+ populations during this time.

• Cities' aging reflects a broader national trend, with the overall older population rising 9.4% to about 59.2 million people in this time frame, per the Census Bureau.
• Increased longevity and the large size of the baby boomer generation born from 1946 to 1964 have contributed to this trend, according to census researchers .

What they're saying: "While some metro areas saw increases in their youth population and many saw gains in working-age populations, what's particularly remarkable is the near-universal increase in the older population for metro areas across the country," said Lauren Bowers, chief of the census bureau's Population Estimates Branch, in the agency's analysis.

Zoom in: In San Francisco proper, residents aged 60+ are the fastest-growing age group in the city, according to a March report from the San Francisco Human Services Agency (SFHSA).

• The growth trend is expected to continue, with that age group expected to account for more than 30% of the city's residents by 2030, according to the California Department of Finance .

Threat level: The city's housing affordability crisis poses particular challenges for older residents, "who tend to live on lower fixed incomes relative to the overall population," according to the SFHSA report.

• "Most senior renters in the city are rent-burdened, meaning their rent costs more than 30% of their monthly income, leaving them with limited means to afford their other needs."