About

The AARP Livability Index™ platform is a web-based tool developed by the AARP Public Policy Institute to measure community livability and encourage more consideration of livability in personal and policy decisions. This first of its kind tool scores every neighborhood and community in the United States for the services and amenities that affect people’s lives the most. Using more than 50 national sources of data across seven categories, it provides the clearest picture yet of how well a community meets the current and future needs of people of all ages, regardless of income, physical ability, or ethnicity.

Goals of the AARP Livability Index™ Platform

As the U.S. population ages, we face a serious challenge: our communities are not prepared for an aging society. In an effort to address this urgent problem, the AARP Public Policy Institute created the AARP Livability Index™ platform to help community leaders and individuals learn about their communities and discover whether they have the features that people want and need. With this information organized and collected in one place, everyone can make more informed choices about where they live. Leaders and other stakeholders can use the data to take steps to address gaps and improve livability. 

While AARP’s particular focus is on measuring and improving community livability as we age, when we improve livability for older adults, everyone benefits. With this in mind, the metrics and policies within the platform reflect how well a community meets the needs of its residents as they age. For instance, accessible transit systems and housing, age diversity, and commitment to age-friendly communities reflect a deliberate effort to measure how well a community meets the needs of an aging population.

Learn more about what livability is and how we measure it.

Read more about why AARP created the AARP Livability Index™ platform and what sets it apart.

Meet the Team

The AARP Public Policy Institute (PPI) informs and stimulates public debate on the issues we face as we age. PPI works with an interdisciplinary Technical Advisory Committee with expertise in both policy and data analysis across the range of subject areas evaluated by the AARP Livability Index™ platform, including public policy, city planning, public health, aging studies, environmental sciences, and econometrics. A National Advisory Panel helps guide the team on strategic decisions about expanding the reach and usefulness of the platform.

Meet the AARP experts behind the AARP Livability Index™ platform.

Awards and Press

The award-winning AARP Livability Index™ platform has been recognized by leading organizations and cited in their work.

Explore the awards and media coverage highlighting the platform’s impact.