The rapidly aging population is expected to be a boon for senior housing. About 50% of those in assisted living facilities, for example, are aged 85 and older, while 31% are between 75 and 84 years old, according to the National Center for Assisted Living . Bumpy road but 'attractive valuation' ahead Right now, senior housing is seeing favorable demographics, as well as improving fundamentals and margins, said NIC's Clapp. There's a point where for each incremental bed added in senior housing, you might not need another worker in the building, he explained. Other names tied to the trend include Ensign and Omega Healthcare Investors , which both provide skilled nursing and senior living services, as well as Brookdale Senior Living , an operator of senior living communities with just a $755 million market cap.

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Persons: Wells, Connor Siversky, Welltower, Ventas, Raymond James, Jonathan Hughes, You've, they've, Caroline Clapp, Greg Kuhl, Janus Henderson, We've, we've, Kuhl, Siversky, NIC's Clapp, Clapp, there's, Stocks, Janus Henderson's Kuhl, that's, Hughes, CNBC's Michael Bloom Organizations: . Census, National Center for, National Investment Center, Seniors Housing, Care, U.S . Census Bureau, NIC, Investors, Estate Fund, Omega Healthcare Investors Locations: U.S, NOI