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Retirement Communities in the US - Market Research Report (2016-2031)

Lucy Tang Lucy Tang New York, United States Last Updated: January 2026 NAICS 62331

Revenue

$100.5bn

2026

$100.5bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

$XX.Xbn

Employees

1m

Businesses

19,300

Wages

$XX.Xbn

Retirement Communities in the US industry analysis

The retirement communities industry continues to evolve as demographic trends and resident preferences shift. Recent performance highlights a steady climb in occupancy rates, as demand from aging adults has outpaced the development of new facilities. Longer life expectancies, higher chronic health needs among seniors and accumulated wealth are driving rising interest in community living. Rising occupancy rates and increased pricing power have led retirement communities to enjoy healthier profit. However, the sector also faces complexity because of recent policy changes under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. These changes have reduced eligibility for some middle- and lower-income seniors to receive subsidized care, shifting more financial responsibility to private payers. As a result, some communities experience delayed move-ins and feel pressure on revenue streams, especially those serving less affluent regions. Despite these headwinds, many retirement communities have responded by tailoring amenities to evolving medical and lifestyle needs and expanding their offerings to attract a broader, more diverse clientele. Revenue is expected to climb at a CAGR of 3.0% to $100.5 billion through the end of 2026, with a healthy boost of 4.0% in 2026 alone. 

Trends and Insights

  • Policy changes and rising labor costs are shaping both operational strategy and profitability in the industry. Adjustments such as shifts in government healthcare coverage and pressure to raise wages are forcing retirement communities to rethink how they attract residents, manage budgets and compete for skilled staff.
  • Retirement communities offer daily assistance with tasks, health monitoring and sometimes skilled nursing services. These services are classified into two categories: continuing care communities and assisted living facilities.
  • Climate and location drive retiree hotspots. Warm states like Florida and Arizona attract seniors with their mild climates, boosting demand for retirement communities that offer outdoor activities and active lifestyles.
  • Consolidation among retirement communities is taking place, though on a small scale. Most providers cater to local populations, but some companies want to broaden their reach.
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Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2016-2031)

Industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 3.0 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $100.5bn in 2026.

Trends and Insights

An aging population is bolstering demand and revenue

  • The US Census Bureau reports the population 65 and older grew by 3.1% to 61.2 million from 2023 to 2024, while the youth population slightly fell. As people age, many encounter chronic health issues affecting independence and mobility. Senior living communities provide essential assistance with daily activities, address challenging needs at home and boost their appeal.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Retirement Communities in the US
Revenue (2016-2031)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2026-2031)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

Integration of technology will shape retirement communities

  • Virtual and augmented reality tools will engage retirees by offering recreational and educational activities that enhance daily life. Fitness tech, such as trackers and interactive programs for seniors, fosters physical health and encourages social connections. Businesses can develop platforms targeting cognitive and mental wellness, promoting growth in tech-based senior engagement.

Biggest companies in the Retirement Communities in the US

Company
Market Share (%)
2026
Revenue ($m)
2026
Profit ($m)
2026
Profit Margin (%)
2026
Brookdale Senior Living Inc.
2,980.0
-235.0
-7.9

To view the market share and analysis for all 1 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.

Products & Services Segmentation

Retirement Communities in the US
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Continuing care retirement communities, Assisted living facilities and homes for the elderly and Other. Continuing care retirement communities is the largest segment of the Retirement Communities in the US.

Trends and Insights

Continuing care retirement communities show strong occupancy rates and robust performance

  • Continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs) provide a spectrum of residential and healthcare services—ranging from independent living to skilled nursing—within a single campus, targeting older adults seeking both long-term housing and varying levels of care as needs evolve.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

This industry provides residential and personal care services for older adults and other individuals who cannot fully care for themselves or want to live in a community facility. The care typically includes room, board, supervision, and assistance in daily living, such as housekeeping services. Some establishments provide skilled nursing care for residents in separate on-site facilities.

What's included in this industry?

Products and services covered in the Retirement Communities industry in the United States include Continuing care retirement communities and Assisted living facilities and homes for the elderly.

Companies

Companies covered in the Retirement Communities industry in the United States include Brookdale Senior Living Inc.

Purchase this report to view all 1 major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

Related terms covered in the Retirement Communities industry in the United States include activities of daily living (adl), continuing care retirement community (ccrc), hospice care, nursing home and care for alzheimer's disease and dementia.

Industry Code

NAICS 2017

NAICS 62331 - Retirement Communities in the US

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

Policy changes and rising labor costs are shaping both operational strategy and profitability in the industry. Adjustments such as shifts in government healthcare coverage an...

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2016-2025) and forecast (2026-2031)
  • Employees, including historical (2016-2025) and forecast (2026-2031)
  • Businesses, including historical (2016-2025) and forecast (2026-2031)
  • Profit, including historical (2016-2026)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

Retirement communities offer daily assistance with tasks, health monitoring and sometimes skilled nursing services. These services are classified into two categories: continu...

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2026
  • Product innovation level

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2026
  • Major market segmentation in 2026

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

Climate and location drive retiree hotspots. Warm states like Florida and Arizona attract seniors with their mild climates, boosting demand for retirement communities that of...

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each state
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2026

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each state in 2026
  • Number and share of revenue each state accounts for in 2026
  • Number and share of wages each state accounts for in 2026
  • Number and share of employees in each state in 2026

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across North America, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

Consolidation among retirement communities is taking place, though on a small scale. Most providers cater to local populations, but some companies want to broaden their reach...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2021-2026
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

Larger retirement facilities have an edge over smaller ones because of their ability to invest in technology and services. This makes them more resilient to economic challeng...

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2022 through 2026
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2026
  • Overview of Brookdale Senior Living Inc.'s performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2020 through 2026

Detailed analysis

  • Description and key data for Brookdale Senior Living Inc., and factors influencing its performance in the industry

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

The number of adults aged 65 and older in the US has steadily increased. This continued demographic growth will support the rising demand for retirement communities.

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Charts

  • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2016-2031) 
  • Assistance historical data and forecast (2016-2031) 

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
  • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
  • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

Occupancy rebounds are driving stronger profit for retirement communities. With demand outstripping supply, communities can fill more units and raise fees, spreading fixed co...

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2026
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2026
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Industry Multiples (2019-2024)
  • Industry Tax Structure (2019-2024)
  • Income Statement (2019-2024)
  • Balance Sheet (2019-2024)
  • Liquidity Ratios (2019-2024)
  • Coverage Ratios (2019-2024)
  • Leverage Ratios  (2019-2024)
  • Operating Ratios (2019-2024)
  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2016-2031)
  • Revenue per Employee (2016-2031)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2016-2031)
  • Employees per Establishment (2016-2031)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2016-2031)
  • Average Wage (2016-2031)
  • Wages/Revenue (2016-2031)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2016-2031)
  • IVA/Revenue (2016-2031)
  • Imports/Demand (2016-2031)
  • Exports/Revenue (2016-2031)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2016-2031)
  • IVA (2016-2031)
  • Establishments (2016-2031)
  • Enterprises (2016-2031)
  • Employment (2016-2031)
  • Exports (2016-2031)
  • Imports (2016-2031)
  • Wages (2016-2031)

Top Questions Answered

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the Retirement Communities industry in the United States in 2026?

The market size of the Retirement Communities industry in the United States is $100.5bn in 2026.

How many businesses are there in the Retirement Communities industry in the United States in 2026?

There are 19,300 businesses in the Retirement Communities industry in the United States, which has grown at a CAGR of 0.9 % between 2021 and 2026.

How may import tariffs affect the Retirement Communities industry in the United States?

The Retirement Communities industry in the United States is unlikely to be materially impacted by import tariffs with imports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.

How may export tariffs affect the Retirement Communities industry in the United States?

The Retirement Communities industry in the United States is unlikely to be materially impacted by export tariffs with exports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.

Has the Retirement Communities industry in the United States grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Retirement Communities industry in the United States has been growing at a CAGR of 3.0 % between 2021 and 2026.

What is the forecast growth of the Retirement Communities industry in the United States over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Retirement Communities industry in the United States is expected to grow.

What are the biggest companies in the Retirement Communities industry in the United States?

The biggest company operating in the Retirement Communities industry in the United States is Brookdale Senior Living Inc.

What does the Retirement Communities industry in the United States include?

Continuing care retirement communities and Assisted living facilities and homes for the elderly are part of the Retirement Communities industry in the United States.

Which companies have the highest market share in the Retirement Communities industry in the United States?

The company holding the most market share in the Retirement Communities industry in the United States is Brookdale Senior Living Inc..

How competitive is the Retirement Communities industry in the United States?

The level of competition is high and steady in the Retirement Communities industry in the United States.

Methodology

How are IBISWorld reports created?

IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.

Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

Key data sources in the US include: 

  • US Census Bureau
  • US Bureau of Labor Statistics
  • US International Trade Commission

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

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