The seniors housing sector appears to be enjoying what analysts are calling an "impressive rebound," with more than 30,000 units absorbed in the final months of 2021.

Nearly two-thirds of units relinquished during the pandemic were refilled in the second half of the year, following a four quarter period after the onset of COVID-19 in which 44,000 units were given up.

"The recovery last year was driven by a pent-up need for the care services that seniors housing communities provide, as well as a higher level of confidence among prospective residents once more of the population became vaccinated," analysts from Marcus & Millichap write in a new analysis of the sector's performance. " This allowed move-ins to exceed pre-pandemic levels, while move-outs largely stabilized. Nonetheless, momentum was impeded in early 2022 amid the omicron surge, though case counts have since fallen and fears of community transmission have generally subsided."