This counties that make up the 25 Charter Counties can be divided up into 4 main groups.

1. The “Self-Sustaining Mecca”

Counties: Sumter (FL), Sarasota (FL), San Juan (WA), Ouray (CO), Jefferson (WA)

Definition:
Amenity-rich counties with higher incomes, strong property values, and a large share of residents with advanced education (40%+ hold degrees).

The Pattern:
These areas attract retirees with financial resources, stable housing, and access to services that can be privately secured. Digital connectivity and local infrastructure support a high level of independence and engagement.

At the same time, the cost of living rises with demand. Housing and daily expenses make it difficult for service workers and caregivers to remain in the area. Over time, this creates gaps in the local workforce needed to support an aging population.

The community maintains a high level of function, but it relies on a workforce that increasingly lives outside the county or is in short supply.

What to Watch:
Communities begin to resemble this pattern when housing costs rise faster than local wages, when service workers commute from outside the county, and when older residents can meet most needs privately while essential support roles become harder to fill.

What Works Here:
Financial stability, education, and connectivity support strong civic engagement, philanthropy, and the ability to pilot new programs. These counties often have the capacity to lead, test solutions, and invest in quality of life at a level others cannot.

2. The “Frontier” Survivor

Counties: Catron (NM), Prairie (MT), Wheeler (OR), Custer (ID), Real (TX)

Definition:
Vast, remote landscapes where county residents age ‘in place ‘ as younger generations move away.

The Pattern:
Populations are small and widely dispersed, with long distances between homes, services, and basic infrastructure. Access to high-speed internet is limited, and the availability of trained caregivers is low.

Counties in these categories often face unique challenges due to distance, topography, and seasonally harsh environments.

As residents age, daily life depends on physical independence and the ability to manage with minimal formal support. Informal networks take on a central role, with neighbors, family, and local volunteers filling gaps where services are not available.

The result is a system that functions through necessity rather than capacity, where continued independence often depends on personal resilience, creative and innovative solutions, and proximity to others willing to help.

What to Watch:
Communities move in this direction when younger populations leave, services consolidate into distant hubs, and daily needs require longer travel or informal arrangements to meet.

What Works Here:
Strong neighbor networks, self-reliance, and a deep sense of place support aging in ways that formal systems often cannot. Trust, familiarity, and local knowledge act as a form of infrastructure.

3. The “Legacy Stress” Zone

Counties: Highlands (FL), Citrus (FL), Alcona (MI), Ontonagon (MI), Quitman (GA)

Definition: Traditional working-class or post-industrial areas with lower median incomes older housing stock, and higher rates of disability.

The Pattern: Residents are aging in place on fixed or limited incomes, often in homes not designed for long-term mobility or health needs., are older, and may contain a higher mix of traditional built housing and mobile/manufactured homes. While there may be pockets of higher wealth and independent households, in general, property values remain modest, and fewer higher-earning households move in to replace those who have aged.

As the population shifts older, the county’s revenue base tends to grow more slowly while demand for age-related supports increases. Public spending adjusts accordingly, with a greater share directed toward maintaining stability for older residents.

At the same time, a smaller proportion of households with children reduces funding tied to schools and youth services. Over time, this alters the balance of investment across the community, as fewer resources are available for younger populations within an increasingly constrained fiscal environment.

What to Watch:
This pattern begins to appear when incomes remain flat across generations, housing stock ages without reinvestment, and public systems gradually shift toward maintenance rather than growth.

What Works Here:
Long-standing communities, stable populations, and strong local ties support continuity. These counties often have deep institutional knowledge and a clear understanding of resident needs, which can guide targeted, practical solutions.

4.  The “Two-World” Hybrid

Counties: Llano (TX), McCormick (SC), Towns (GA), Lancaster (VA), Northumberland (VA)

Definition:
Counties where higher-end retirement developments (often gated , self-isolating, and controlled) exist alongside long-standing rural communities with lower incomes and fewer resources.

The Pattern:
Distinct populations live within the same county but experience very different conditions. Newer retirees often arrive with higher incomes, stable housing, and access to private amenities. Long-time residents are more likely to face limited services, lower wages, and fewer options for support.

The tax base reflects this divide. Higher-value properties contribute to overall revenue, but that growth does not consistently translate into broader service access across the county. Gaps remain in workforce development, transportation, and basic supports in long-established communities.

At the same time, many newer retirees bring professional experience and capacity for civic involvement. When engaged, this can strengthen local systems and expand access, though it does not occur automatically.

What to Watch:
Communities begin to reflect this pattern when new development serves incoming retirees while long-standing areas see little change, and when access to services varies widely within the same county.

What Works Here:
There is real opportunity to connect experience, resources, and need. When aligned, newer residents can contribute skills, leadership, and investment that strengthen the broader community and expand local capacity.

DATA SOURCE: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, Table S0101
(Age and Sex), using the percentage of residents age 65 and older.
(Counties with population of 1,000 or greater)

For more information, contact Laurie Murphy, National Director at [email protected]