Bronx one of the best places for senior living: study
BY ALEX MITCHELL
The Bronx is one of the
best places for seniors to live
in America, a new study indicates.
A report from Caring.com
ranks the borough 11th best
out of 302 nationwide cities and
the fourth best place for elders
to live in New York state.
Seniors make up 12.3 percent
of the Bronx population
and the borough also has fi ve
dedicated senior centers done
by BronxWorks scattered
throughout the borough that
accommodate a wide range of
needs, from exercise and nutrition
classes to computer training
and health services for the
65-years and older population,
the study shows.
“Seniors can seek out additional
resources and fi nancial
assistance from the abundant
national, state and regional
senior-specifi c, nonprofi t organizations
with chapters in the
area,” the study indicated.
It also noted the signifi cant
transit options for seniors in
the Bronx as well.
“Seniors can also enjoy being
in close proximity to an extensive
public transportation
network that offers a reduced
The Northeast Bronx Senior Center members. File photo
fare for retirees,” the study reported.
The Bronx comes in at second
in the nation for transportation
access for seniors, just
behind Brookhaven on Long
Island, too.
The cities were graded using
70 metrics across six categories:
senior housing, engagement,
affordability, quality of
life, health care and transportation.
The Bronx soars above the
national average in senior multifamily
home access as well as
availability of subsidized housing.
The borough trails the
American average of zero step
entrances and housing cost
burden, while it also averages
out on age diversity, according
to the study.
BRONX TIMES REPORTER, O 24 CTOBER 11-17, 2019 BTR
As far as senior engagement
goes, the Bronx trails in senior
voting rates and opportunities
for civic engagement.
Senior quality of life thrives
in the Bronx. The borough skyrockets
above the nation’s average,
being the fi rst ranked
in categories like: access to
grocery stores, parks, jobs by
transit, walk trips, and household
transportation costs. The
Bronx has high numbers for libraries
as well.
The Bronx comes in second
overall in quality of life categories
only behind San Francisco,
CA.
Healthcare was a struggling
category for the Bronx, though.
The borough trails in primary
care physicians per 100,000 residents,
as well as mental health
professionals and dentists too.
Patient satisfaction was also
below a national average. Citywide,
Brooklyn and Queens
top out against the Bronx for
healthcare categories.
The average cost of living
for seniors in the Bronx is
$1,225, compared to the $4,000
nationwide average.
Surprising to few, the Bronx
put up below average numbers
in air quality for senior citizens
as well as traffi c congestion.
However, the Bronx also
has a low crime and car crash
rate for seniors and the elderly
population also has better water
quality than much of the nation.
Brooklyn, Queens, and
Manhattan all surpassed the
Bronx in the national overall
quality of life, though.
The list also recognized San
Francisco, Fredericksburg,
VA, Washington, DC, Boston,
MA among the top 10 best overall
cities with New York’s numbers
being broken down by borough
with Brooklyn landing at
fi ve, Queens at nine, and Manhattan
at ten.
/Caring.com