Poll: Michigan residents 50 and older say state is a good place to age, but housing and weather fall short

Most of Michigan's residents age 50 and older consider the state to be a good place to live as they grow older, a new study says. 

"The only aspect of aging in Michigan that wasn't viewed favorably by a majority of those polled? The weather," said the researchers for the Michigan Poll on Healthy Aging.  

About one in five Michigan residents is age 65 or older, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. 

But if one looks at the age bracket of age 50 and older, that is nearly one in three Michigan residents, the Michigan Poll on Healthy Aging researchers said. 

The study was supported by the Michigan Health Endowment Fund and Michigan Medicine. They sought phone and online responses during January 2026 from about 1,200 Michigan adults age 50 and older. 

Here's what older residents like about Michigan: 

About 84% of Michigan residents age 50 and older rated the quality of health care for people their age in their part of the state as "excellent, very good, or good," the report said. 

Those who lived in the Southeast area of the state were more likely than those living in other regions to say that it was easy to find high-quality health care. 

In addition, about 77% of Michigan residents age 50 and older said services and programs aimed at people their age were "excellent, very good, or good." 

Those who took on caregiver duties for another older adult were those most likely to say they were familiar with such services, as compared to those who did not have caregiver duties. 

The majority of Michigan residents age 50 and older, 84%, rated social and recreational activities for people their age as "excellent, very good, or good." 

When asked specifically about the activities at community senior centers, only 18% of Michigan residents age 65 and older said they had attended an event or activity organized by a senior center in the past year. 

Here's what older residents didn't like about Michigan: 

Housing was a greater concern, as 29% of Michigan residents said it was very difficult or somewhat difficult to find housing that fits their needs, with only 64% saying it was very easy to somewhat easy. 

Those who were more likely to say finding needed housing was difficult included those who have disabilities that limit their daily activities, lower-income households, and those who lived in Northern Michigan. 

Transportation was another area of concern, as about 26% of Michigan residents age 50 and older said it was very difficult or somewhat difficult to find safe and reliable transportation in their part of the state. 

Those who had caregiving responsibilities for another older adult were also more likely to report transportation challenges. 

And in terms of the weather, only 48% of Michigan residents age 50 and older rated the weather as "excellent, very good, or good," while 52% rated the state's weather as fair or poor.  

The "more mixed perceptions of cost of living, housing, transportation, and weather suggest that these factors may affect how well older adults are able to age healthily within their communities," the researchers said.