As we head further into 2023, we thought it was a good time to look at how the plumbing industry is responding to demographic shifts that are occurring across the United States. According to U.S. Census reports, the fastest-growing population are both the ‘Boomers’ (those 58+) and the even larger demographic of those in their 80s. According to newly released 2021 population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau, the median age in the U.S. is 38.8 years. The median age for most states increased from 2020 to 2021, indicating that the across the United States populations are getting older.
How is the aging population changing product design? Builders and designers have been hearing from clients that homeowners now want to age-in-place, and they also want to renovate their existing homes to accommodate various generations living under one roof. The lack of housing stock and current mortgage and interest rates have contributed to this phenomenon. This shift in living has been a boon to the renovation industry, and it has given rise to innovations and building processes that elegantly combine technology and health benefits in the service of independence for elderly or anyone with physical challenges.