More than a quarter of all Austin residents are expected to be 65 or older by 2060. That's according to Lila Valencia, who has been the city's demographer since 2021.
"Even though by general statistics, [Austin's] relatively young, it is aging pretty rapidly," Valencia said.
Valencia spoke during a recent interview with KUT's Long View producer and host Jennifer Stayton and editor Syeda Carrillo.
She said city planners have had their eyes on this trend for years. In 2014, the Austin City Council created a Commission on Aging.
"Austin is one of the few large cities nationwide where the [non-Hispanic] white population was really driving growth," Valencia said.
The Black population is Austin's second oldest, followed by the Asian population.
"When we look at who's growing older the fastest, that's definitely the Asian population," Valencia said. "[They are] really starting to build roots in Austin."
Austin's median age is a little under 35 — below Texas' median age of about 36 and the national median age of about 40. By 2060, seniors are expected to compose 28.4% of the city's total population. This is higher than the estimate for Texas overall, which is 21.7%.
"That really puts both Texas and Austin in what demographers call a super-aged society," Valencia said.
Demographers expect this shift to have trickle-down effects on life in Austin: fewer people in the workforce, higher demands on healthcare and changing housing needs.
According to city data, the majority of seniors in Austin live with a spouse, with the second largest portion living alone. Those who live alone typically live within the urban core, while seniors who live with their children are more likely to live in the suburbs.
Jake Wegmann, an associate professor in the School of Architecture at UT Austin, said a preference for single-family homes could put additional pressure on Austin's housing market in the coming decades.
"What we're going to have to grapple with is a lot of elderly people who really don't want to leave their homes ... but as they age, it's just getting tougher and tougher for them to do that," Wegmann said.
Many single-family homes in Austin are also in car-dependent areas. Wegmann said seniors could be made to choose between continuing to drive, which could be dangerous, or giving up their car keys, which could further isolation.
"I don't think we're really prepared for what happens as a society when we have very large numbers of people who are marooned in their houses," Wegmann said.
Copyright 2026 KUT News