CHAPTER TWO • DEMOGRAPHICS & TRENDS NAPERVILLE PARK DISTRICT INDOOR RECREATION SPACE NEEDS ASSESSMENT
AGE SEGMENT Evaluating the District by age segments, Naperville exhibits an even distribution. The District has a median age of 40.8 years old which is slightly older than the U.S. median age of 38.3 years old. Assessing the population as a whole, the District is projected to continue experiencing an aging trend. Over the next 15 years, the 55+ population is expected to grow to represent just over a third (37%) of the District’s total population. This is largely due to the increased life expectancies and the remainder of the Baby Boomer generation shifting into the senior age groups (Figure 4) . Within the field of parks and recreation, there are two commonly used ways to partition this age segment. One is to simply segment by age: 55-64, 65-74, and 75+. However, as these age segments are engaged in programming, the variability of health and wellness can be a more relevant factor. For example, a 55-year-old struggling with rheumatoid arthritis will need different recreational opportunities than a healthy 55-year-old who is running marathons. Therefore, it may be more useful to divide this age segment into “Active,” “Low-Impact,” and/or “Social” Seniors.
Figure 4: Age Segment Estimates & Projections
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