Baby Boomers occupy a significant portion of the nation’s housing stock, and for many, the homes they live in today were built around a household that looked different years ago. According to U.S. Census Bureau data, there were approximately 40.5 million households headed by someone ages 60 to 78 in 2024. Nearly 70% lived in detached single-family homes, while another 6.1% lived in attached single-family homes. Multifamily housing accounted for 18.4% of Boomer-headed households, and manufactured or mobile homes represented 5.8%.
Smaller Households, but Plenty of Bedrooms
Boomer households are relatively small: the average Boomer-headed household contained 2.0 people in 2024, compared with 2.8 among Gen X households and 3.0 among Millennial households. More than one-third (35.9%) of Boomer-headed households consisted of just one person.
Their homes, however, are often considerably larger based on bedroom count. Nearly 66% of Boomer-headed households lived in homes with three or more bedrooms.
That pattern extends even to the smallest households. Roughly 46% of one-person Boomer households had three or more bedrooms, while nearly 74% of two-person households did.
The numbers don’t necessarily mean these households have space they no longer want or need. An additional bedroom can serve as a guest room, office, hobby space, or provide room for family members who visit or return home. But the data do illustrate how different the size of today’s Boomer household can be from the home surrounding it.
Decades in the Same Home
Another important part of the picture is how long many Boomers have lived in their homes. Nearly 45% of Boomer-headed households had lived in their current residence for at least 20 years as of 2024. About 20% had been there for 20 to 29 years, while another 24.5% had lived in the same home for 30 years or longer.
That latter group has grown. In 2019, 18.0% of Boomer-headed households had lived in their current residence for at least 30 years, compared with 24.5% in 2024.
The pattern is consistent with broader research on aging in place. According to AARP’s latest Home and Community Preferences Survey, roughly three-quarters of adults age 50 and older say they want to remain in their current homes and communities as they age.
Rethinking What Downsizing Means
For builders, the numbers add some context to a question that will become increasingly important as Boomers age: What would make an older homeowner move?
Having fewer people than bedrooms doesn’t entirely provide the answer. A household of one or two may still value additional space, particularly after spending decades in the same home.
That means a move later in life does not necessarily have to mean a dramatic reduction in square footage or bedroom count. For some households, the appeal may instead come from a home that is easier to maintain, better suited to aging in place, or located closer to family, amenities, and services.
The insights in this article were taken from a more in-depth national report published in Zonda’s National Outlook.
