More Oldsters Than Hipsters – Marin Has More Old People Than Any Other Bay Area County
SAUSALITO (CBS SF) – When people think of Marin County, images of young, cool, laid back, new age hipsters may come to mind.
Well, a new study says that's simply not true. Marin has gotten old – and its aging fast.
Residents in this North Bay county are some of the oldest in the Bay Area, according to a study done by the Association of Bay Area Governments.
Researchers looked at economic, demographic and land use data and found almost one in five of Marin County's residents is 65 and older.
The report titled, "State of the Region" predicts problems down the road for the county's aging population, namely issues of housing and transportation. Elderly Marinites will want to remain in their homes as they age, and they'll need to get around.
In trendy Sausalito, the population of people 70 and older increased by 72% between 2000 and 2010.
According to the Marin Independent Journal, that city wants to stay a step ahead of its aging demographic and has appointed an Age-Friendly Task Force to tackle issues like senior housing and transportation.
In May, Sausalito will begin using volunteer drivers to transport seniors around town.
"If you live up in the hills in Sausalito, walking or driving is not much of an option," task force chairwoman Tricia Smith told the Marin IJ.
In contrast, the study found San Francisco is rapidly losing its elder crowd. In fact, The City's median age has dropped since 2007, and it's the only Bay Area county where the median age was higher in 2005 than in 2013. Santa Clara County's median age is the lowest, according to the report, due to high numbers of workers and children.