DiNapoli: More Older Adults Calling NYC Home Than Ever Before, Comptroller's Report Finds

New York City's 65 and older population grew by nearly half a million seniors in the last two decades, an increase of 53%, according to a new report by New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. Much of the growth was led by Asian, Hispanic and Black seniors calling the city home, along with more seniors born outside the U.S. With a record high senior population, the Comptroller warns city funding must keep pace with demand to support critical services for older adults in the future.

"Many older adults are living on fixed incomes and no one wants to see them priced out of their homes because of a lack of supportive services," DiNapoli said. "It's imperative that the city's Department for the Aging has the funding necessary to provide critical programs and services that improve affordability, safety and access to care. Many may not realize the senior population has grown substantially, and is far more diverse now, which means a special focus on reaching seniors in multiple communities and languages is needed."

In 2023, New York City was home to 1.43 million people 65 and older, up 53% since 2000, with the share of older residents rising in every borough. Although the COVID-19 pandemic caused a decline in the city's total population, the number of adults 65 and older increased by 6.4% from 2020 to 2023, led by recent growth in Queens.

In addition, 98% of the city's senior population growth from 2000 to 2023 can be attributed to Asian, Hispanic and Black older adults. The population of Asian and Hispanic older adults each more than doubled from 2000 to 2023, while Black older adults increased 68%.

New York City's foreign-born senior population also increased from 2000 to 2023, even as this rate was little changed nationally. In all five boroughs, the immigrant share of the 65 and older population was greater than the immigrant share of each borough's total population in 2023.

DiNapoli's report found the city's Department for the Aging (DFTA) will need additional funding beginning in City Fiscal Year (CFY) 2026 or critical services for seniors could be impacted. These include older adult centers, naturally occurring retirement communities and home-delivered meals. From CFY 2020 to CFY 2024, federal pandemic aid supported $210 million in spending for these services. These expanded services were funded by the city in CFY 2025, but this funding drops off in CFY 2026. Spending at DFTA rose at a faster rate than the city's total budget since fiscal year 2010.

DiNapoli's report also highlights the current financial challenges facing older adults that could impact their ability to stay in their homes and communities:

• Good Paying Jobs: More older adults in the city are seeking employment, increasing from about 200,000 to 286,000 over the last decade. The median household income in 2023 was $46,359 for 65 and older households compared to $76,577 for all households.
• Health Care: In 2019, only 31% of older adults in poverty reported being in good or better than good health. In addition, over 600,000 people 65 and older were enrolled in Medicaid, making up 14% of all enrollees in New York City. More than one-third of the city's older population has a disability, with 36.7% having at least one disability in 2023, higher than the nation at 32.6%.
• Rent: Over 61% of older tenants were rent burdened in 2023, spending 30% or more of their gross income on rent. The highest share of rent burdened older adults lived on Staten Island (70%) followed by Queens (66%), Brooklyn (62%), the Bronx (60%) and Manhattan (58%).
• Housing Costs: In 2023, 39.5% of older homeowners in the city spent 30% or more of their household income on housing costs.

About 21.5% of the city's older adult population was living in poverty in 2023 compared to the citywide rate of 18.2%. Over the last decade, older adults receiving cash assistance grew from 10% to 15% of the total population.

DiNapoli recommends the city continue to monitor the trends of the aging population to ensure services reflect need and outreach efforts improve participation in older adult centers, naturally occurring retirement communities and home care, which remains below pre-pandemic levels. The city should also consider bringing additional services to parts of the outer boroughs with larger older adult populations, as well as lower income communities, to help more older adults stay in their homes longer and improve their quality of life.

Report
Older Adults in New York City Demographic and Service Trends

Reports & Fiscal Tracking Tools
NYC's Shifting Population: The Latest Statistics
Identifying Fiscal Cliffs in New York City's Financial Plan

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