The U.S. Census Bureau recently released data from the once-a-decade count, and the report shows that our share of senior residents expanded significantly from 2010 to 2020 and faster than any decade in more than a century. Meanwhile, birth rates continue to decline as more younger couples delay having children to focus on education and careers. The AP has more on the numbers.
As usual, the Census contains some valuable nuggets of data that sellers can leverage to successfully market their homes. For example, 1 in 6 Americans is 65 and older — up from 1 in 8 in 2010 — and our median age has risen eight years since 1980 to 38.8. That means even the perfect social media post may not reach as many potential buyers as a traditional direct mail campaign.
Additionally, it’s interesting to note that 5% of households included three or more generations, and about 19% of Americans reported living with relatives. Given these numbers, it would be wise to highlight an existing ADU on your property — or the potential for adding one. On the flip side, about 28% of households were solo occupants. That’s 35 million possible buyers who may not care as much about schools and other concerns for families and couples.
