Every year, AARP ranks the most livable communities, places that meet the needs of all of its residents, regardless of age. Turns out, Phoenix has some work to do.
AARP created what it calls a livability index, which looks at things like housing, transportation, civic engagement, opportunity and the environment when it ranks a city.
Phoenix scored a 50 out of 100.
Dana Kennedy is the state director of AARP. She says housing is one area of improvement: "We need more affordable housing. I hear that all the time. We need more housing options."
Then there’s the issue of transportation.
"As far as our streets, I think if you’re a pedestrian, a runner, a bicyclist, I think we have a lot of improvements to make, especially the city of Phoenix," Kennedy said.
According to AARP, cities like Philadelphia and Denver, which made the top 10, scored high on transportation and neighborhood indicators — meaning a person can leave their home and access a variety of services and amenities.
