This study investigates the relationship between “active aging ” and “smart growth ”, through comprehensively analyzing and evaluating the US Census data, 40 attributes within 8 indicators of “active aging ”, and 40 attributes within 10 indicators of “smart growth ”, as well as an online survey with senior citizens from the three US EPA's Active Aging Award-winning communities: City of Kirkland, Washington, City of Casper, Wyoming, and Iowa City, Iowa.The study examines how these communities achieve the goals of both “smart growth ” and “active aging ”, and shows how the principles of “smart growth ” are related with the elements of “active aging ”, through comparing the achievements and identifying these weaknesses in realizing both “active aging ” and “smart growth ” in the targeted three American communities, as well as investigating the satisfaction degrees of the local senior residents in terms of their community environment, respectively. The study discovers that the realization degree of “active aging ” rises along with the increase in the realization degree of “smart growth ” in all the three communities. The realization degrees of “smart growth ” of the three communities demonstrated higher than their “active aging ” counterparts at distinct levels. The findings indicate that “active aging ” and “smart growth ” can be positively associated, while the consistency degree between their realization levels can be distinct in different communities. Additionally, diverse theoretical and practical implications are discussed for future research.
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