Nearly one in four Montgomery County residents was 60 or older in 2025. That population is projected to keep growing.

The county's 60-plus population will grow nearly four times as fast as residents under 60 through 2045, according to a community needs assessment released Thursday, Oct. 8 by Age-Friendly Montgomery. Residents 80 and older are growing even faster, making them the county's fastest-expanding demographic group.

The assessment, conducted by consulting firm Ascendient, Inc. between late 2025 and early 2026, drew on a countywide survey, listening sessions and focus groups. More than 327,000 county residents are already 55 or older, roughly 30% of the total population.

For Potomac, where Potomac Community Village has helped neighbors age in place since 2012, the findings sharpen a familiar question: how to keep older residents connected, mobile and safe.

Isolation topped the list

That concern surfaced in all five listening sessions, virtually every focus group, the community survey and secondary data, according to the full report.

Transportation, housing, elder abuse prevention and communications emerged as the most persistent service gaps. Satisfaction with home and community-based services has declined since 2015, the report found.

The study also flagged specific groups needing extra support: older adults living alone, residents without nearby adult children, rural and Upcounty residents, non-English speakers, Black and African American residents, LGBTQ+ residents, low-income residents, and residents with dementia and their caregivers, as first reported by WTOP.

Local roots in Potomac

Potomac Community Village, a nonprofit founded by neighbors in 2012, has been addressing some of these gaps for more than a dozen years. The organization sponsors a vetted pool of volunteer drivers who take seniors to medical and other appointments, according to the West Montgomery County Citizens Association.

County Executive Marc Elrich said in an Oct. 8 statement that the county must adapt to meet residents' needs through all stages of life.

The assessment identified five priorities going forward: social connection, prevention of abuse and financial exploitation, access to information, health services navigation, and affordable and accessible housing.

By the numbers

Households headed by adults 65 and older have an 80% homeownership rate, compared with 64% countywide. The 75-and-older population is projected to grow nearly ten times faster than the rest of the county over the next five years.

AARP ranked Montgomery County the second-best place in the country for older adults among communities of 500,000 or more, as cited in the assessment. The county is one of only six jurisdictions in Maryland with AARP Age-Friendly Community designation.

Residents who want to get involved with Age-Friendly Montgomery can contact program manager Shawn Brennan at 240-777-1350.

Coming up

  • Potomac Community Village runs a volunteer driver program for area seniors. Learn more at potomaccommunityvillage.org.
  • The full Age-Friendly Montgomery Community Needs Assessment is available at montgomerycountymd.gov/seniors/age-friendly-montgomery/building-age-friendly-montgomery-county.