Senior Fall Statistics & Aging-in-Place Data

The short answer: AARP's 2024 survey found that 75% of adults 50 and older want to age in place, yet most homes were not designed to support that goal safely. The CDC reports that more than 1 in 4 adults 65 and older falls each year, and hazards can occur throughout the home. Targeted home-hazard reduction can reduce falls for people at higher risk; the evidence does not establish that every remodel or product prevents falls.

By Drew Chandler — Home Accessibility & Project Coordination · Updated 2026-09-16

Why These Numbers Matter

When a family starts talking about whether a parent should move — to assisted living, to a daughter's house, to a smaller place — the conversation is usually triggered by a fall, a close call, or a health change that made the current home feel unsafe. What most families do not know is that the home itself can often be changed more quickly and affordably than they imagine, and that the research behind those changes is solid.

This guide collects the most reliable, publicly sourced statistics on aging in place and senior safety. We name our sources so you can verify every figure yourself. We also explain what each number means in plain terms for a Central Texas family weighing their options.

If you want to move straight to action, our room-by-room aging-in-place home safety checklist covers every common risk factor. Or schedule a whole-home accessibility assessment — our home-accessibility team visits your home, identifies what needs attention, and gives you a written, prioritized plan.

How Many Older Adults Want to Age in Place?

A majority of older adults surveyed by AARP prefer to stay in their current home. Preferences still vary, and moving can be the right choice for an individual household.

• 75% of adults age 50 and older say they want to remain in their current home as they age, according to AARP's 2024 Home and Community Preferences research (fieldwork June–July 2024). A 2021 AARP survey found a similar pattern: 77% want to stay in their current home and 79% want to stay in their current community.
• The desire to stay home holds up across every recent AARP survey, not just a single one-off poll.
• The preference does not change much by income level, health status, or geography. Even people who acknowledge their home may need changes still overwhelmingly prefer to make those changes rather than move.
• AARP research also finds that a majority of adults 50 and older have done little or no planning for how they will manage their home as they age — a gap between intention and preparation that this guide is designed to help close.

The Growing Senior Population in Texas

Texas has one of the fastest-growing senior populations in the United States, and Central Texas is a particularly active part of that trend. The Texas Demographic Center projects the number of Texans age 65 and older will grow more than 88% between 2023 and 2050 — nearly double, rising from about 12.3% to 17.6% of the state's population. (Source: Texas 2036, Understanding Texas' Population Growth, citing Texas Demographic Center projections)

• Nationally, the 65-and-older population reached 61.2 million in 2024 — 18.0% of all Americans, up from 12.4% in 2004 — a 3.1% increase in a single year, as the large baby-boom generation moves fully into older age. (Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2024 Population Estimates, June 2025)
• Texas routinely ranks among the states with the largest net in-migration of retirees from other states, particularly from California, Illinois, and other higher-cost markets.
• Hays County (which includes Dripping Springs and Kyle), Comal County (New Braunfels), Williamson County (Georgetown, Round Rock), and Burnet County have all seen significant growth in their senior populations, reflecting the draw of Central Texas's climate, cost relative to coastal metros, and quality of life.
• The Texas Demographic Center documents that the proportion of Texans over 65 is rising faster than the overall state population, a pattern expected to continue for at least another decade.
• Georgetown, in Williamson County, has long been recognized as one of the fastest-growing cities for retirement-age adults in the United States — reflecting exactly the kind of community that aging-in-place planning serves.

What this means practically: the demand for accessible, age-ready housing in Central Texas is growing fast — and the supply of homes that are already set up to support aging safely is not growing nearly as fast. Most of the housing stock in Dripping Springs, Wimberley, Marble Falls, Canyon Lake, and the surrounding Hill Country was built for younger buyers, with standard tubs, single handrails, and steps at every entrance.

Senior Fall Statistics: The National Picture

Falls are not an inevitable part of aging — but they are the most serious and common safety risk facing older adults living at home.

• The CDC identifies falls as the leading cause of both fatal and non-fatal injuries among adults 65 and older in the United States, and reports that more than 1 in 4 older adults falls each year. (Source: CDC, Older Adult Falls Facts & Stats)
• Each year, falls send about 3 million older adults to the emergency department and cause about 1 million hospitalizations. Falling once roughly doubles the chance of falling again. (Source: CDC)
• Hip fractures are among the most serious consequences of a fall — the CDC reports about 319,000 older adults are hospitalized for hip fractures each year, and in 2019, falls caused 83% of hip fracture deaths and 88% of hip-fracture ED visits and hospitalizations. A hip fracture frequently leads to surgery, a period of rehabilitation, and — in some cases — a lasting decline in independence.
• Falls can cause serious injuries, including traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). (Source: CDC)
• The financial cost of fall injuries in the United States runs into the tens of billions of dollars annually in direct medical costs alone. (Source: CDC)

Look for Hazards Throughout the Home

Start with the places the person uses and finds difficult. A national statistic cannot tell you which room should come first in a particular home.

• Bathrooms: review wet surfaces, tub entry, toilet transfers, and reachable support.
• Stairs: review lighting, tread condition, and continuous, graspable handrails.
• Entries and walkways: look for clutter, uneven transitions, steps, and enough space for the person's mobility equipment.
• Bedrooms and nighttime routes: check lighting and the clear path between the bed and bathroom.

Does Modifying a Home Actually Reduce Falls?

A 2023 Cochrane review of environmental interventions found that targeted home fall-hazard reduction helps older adults at higher risk of falling. It did not find the same benefit in groups not selected for fall risk, and evidence about preventing serious injuries was limited.

Those findings concern assessed programs, not a guarantee for a grab bar, shower conversion, or other single product. A modification can improve access or make a daily task easier without having a proven individual effect on fall rates.

The CDC's STEADI approach combines screening, assessment, and interventions tailored to the person. Home changes can be one part of that plan, alongside clinical attention to balance, medications, vision, and other risk factors.

The Gap Between Wanting to Age in Place and Being Ready to

Wanting to stay home and having a home that supports changing needs are different questions.

• Review routes, transfers, and daily activities before choosing products. A newer home is not necessarily suited to a particular person or mobility device.
• Planning ahead gives a household time to compare options and arrange work. Costs and clinical benefits depend on the person and the scope.
• A fall or new difficulty with balance, vision, or mobility is a reason to discuss an individual risk assessment with a healthcare professional.

What Specific Modifications Can Help With

This table describes practical purposes and assessment questions. It does not rank products by clinical effectiveness or promise that a particular installation will prevent a fall.

Texas-Specific: What We Know About Senior Falls in the Lone Star State

The Texas Department of State Health Services publishes injury and mortality data through Texas Health Data. Use a specific year, age group, and measure when comparing Texas with national figures; a national statistic does not establish a local ranking.

For an individual Central Texas home, assess the actual entry steps, outdoor routes, lighting, and indoor tasks rather than inferring risk from the ZIP code. Veterans can also ask the VA about medically necessary home modifications and HISA eligibility, covered in our funding guide.

What These Numbers Mean for Your Family

Use the research to start a conversation about a particular home and person:

• Start with daily tasks. Ask which activities are difficult or uncomfortable, and review possible changes with the person who will use them. Planning ahead gives more time to compare options; it does not guarantee lower costs or prevent every fall.
• Bathroom tasks deserve an individual review. A step-free shower, well-placed supports, or a different toilet height may help with specific transfers. The right changes depend on the person; they do not remove every source of fall risk.
• Grab bars can provide support where it is needed. Position and anchoring must suit the person, wall construction, product rating, and applicable requirements. Have the person’s support and transfer needs assessed before choosing positions.
• Your parents' home does not have to look institutional. Modern accessibility products — decorative grab bars, curbless showers with frameless glass, comfort-height toilets — are designed to look like a well-appointed home. We see this concern constantly; the reality is that the end result is a home that looks and functions better, not worse.
• A professional assessment changes the conversation. Families often argue about what to do. A whole-home accessibility assessment gives everyone a shared, objective baseline — specific items, specific locations, specific priorities — that moves the conversation from opinion to plan.

If you are ready to take that step, our free in-home safety assessment is a no-obligation, no-pressure way to get a clear picture of what your home needs. You can also call or text us at (512) 222-8834 to talk through your situation first.

How to Use This Information

This guide is designed to be a citable resource — something you can send to a parent, share with a sibling, or bring to a conversation with a doctor. Here is how to think about the information in it:

• For a patient or family member who has had a fall: The statistics confirm that this is not an isolated event — falls are the leading injury cause among older adults, and a first fall is a recognized predictor of future falls. Now is the right time to assess the home. Request an occupational therapy evaluation through your physician, and contact us for the home-modification side of the work.
• For a family in the "should we move?" conversation: Compare the full cost and feasibility of each option, including modifications, ongoing care, maintenance, and the person’s preferences. A safer layout alone may not meet every care need. Start with a professional assessment to understand what the modifications would actually involve.
• For someone who is healthy and planning ahead: You are in the best position of anyone reading this. Planning ahead gives you time to choose changes around your preferences, compare estimates, and consider future care needs.
• For a healthcare provider or discharge planner: We work alongside OT recommendations and can provide same-week or next-week assessment appointments for post-hospitalization patients in the Austin, Hill Country, and Central Texas area. Call (512) 222-8834 to discuss a referral or fast-track assessment for a patient being discharged.

Key Sources Referenced in This Guide

• CDC Older Adult Fall Prevention: cdc.gov/falls — the most comprehensive public source for fall statistics, risk factors, and evidence-based prevention strategies in the U.S.
• CDC STEADI (Stopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths & Injuries): cdc.gov/steadi — clinical tools and evidence summaries for healthcare providers on fall prevention, including home modification.
• AARP Home and Community Preferences Survey: 2024 Home and Community Preferences survey — polling on where older adults want to live and their preparation (or lack of it) for aging in place.
• AARP Public Policy Institute: Reports on housing availability, aging-readiness of the U.S. housing stock, and economic analyses of aging-in-place versus facility care.
• U.S. Census Bureau: Population estimates and projections for older adults nationally and by state, including Texas.
• Texas Demographic Center: texasdemographics.org — state-level population data and projections, including age breakdowns by county.
• Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS): Texas Health Data — Texas-specific injury and mortality data including fall-related injuries among older adults.
• National Council on Aging (NCOA): ncoa.org — research and programs on fall prevention, healthy aging, and cost-effectiveness of aging-in-place interventions.
• American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA): aota.org — evidence-based practice resources on home modification and fall prevention from a clinical perspective.