Boomers eager to relive college days

In one of the first surveys of its kind, 233 respondents age 55 -75 say they like the idea of living on a college campus in their retirement years. 58% said they’d like to live on or near a small college town campus. 62% would be “very interested” in taking courses together with traditional college students. 46% say they’d prefer to own their residence in a college-affiliated community.

The survey, conducted by Campus Continuum of Newton, Mass., is designed to gauge the level of interest in the concept of living in “a community of active life-long learners affiliated with an academic institution.” Survey results are helping the firm determine sites for campus communities which it will build and operate.

Campus Continuum Managing Director Gerard Badler says, “In 20 years, there will be 70 million people over age 65 in the U.S. and retirement lifestyles will be radically different from today.” He says there are only about 20 closely integrated campus-based communities across the country. But Badler, who has spent the past few years crisscrossing the country meeting with college administrators and boards, says the idea is gaining popularity.

Among other survey highlights from respondents:

While 58% said they’d prefer a small college town, 37% prefer a suburban area; 28% prefer a city. (Note: Respondents were allowed to choose more than one location preference).

Responders are willing to move further distances from their current location than is typically reported in other retirement relocation surveys. 46% are willing to move more than 100 miles to their preferred college destination; 27% would move more than 500 miles.

More than 1/3 expressed interest in retiring to a university with which they had no prior affiliation (as an alum, faculty member, donor, etc.).

45% say the maximum desirable distance of the community from the main campus is 2 miles; 25% indicate 2-5 miles; 22% indicate 5 – 10 miles is OK. Only 2% insist that the project be located directly on campus.

64% are very interested in volunteering on campus (tutoring, mentoring, part-time lecturing, museum guide).

52% are very interested in volunteering off campus (elementary schools, libraries, hospitals).

Asked, “At what age would you seriously consider moving into a college retirement community” the most frequent responses were 61 – 65 (32%), 66-70 (23%), and 56 – 60 (16%).

58% of respondents have a Masters degree or higher level of education.