Comfort came out ahead of cost in a newly published AARP survey of adults 50 and older who had bought a mattress within the previous three years.
The survey, conducted in October 2025 among 300 adults, found that 80% selected overall comfort as one of the primary qualities they looked for in a new bed. Firmness followed at 64%, with cost close behind at about 63%.
Nearly half, 48%, said they replaced their mattress because the old one was no longer comfortable. Another 13% wanted to improve poor sleep, while about 10% were experiencing pain and wanted to see whether a new mattress would help.
The shopping process itself was less straightforward. Thirty-two percent said they were unsure which mattress was best for them, and another 32% felt overwhelmed by the number of choices and didn’t know where to start. Twenty percent said the hardest part was wanting to try mattresses in person but struggling to find a convenient place to do so.
Research was split evenly between digital and physical shopping. Thirty-nine percent read online reviews, while another 39% tried mattresses in a store. Twenty percent asked friends or family for recommendations.
Even with that uncertainty along the way, about 94% said they were very or somewhat happy with the mattress they ultimately bought.
Source: AARP
