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In 2022, there were an estimated 4.8 million multigenerational households in the US — homes with three or more generations living under one roof — equal to 3.7% of all households in the country. Those households contain 26 million people, or 8.1% of the US population.
Are multigenerational households becoming more common?
Multigenerational households have consistently hovered at around 3.8% of all households in the US. 2022’s rate of 3.7% was the lowest since 2010.
Various trends have changed the landscape of American housing over the past 50 years:
- Family sizes have shrunk from an average of 3.7 people in 1966 to 3.1 people in 2022.
- The square footage of single-family homes grew about 21% from 1990 to 2022, even as the number of people living in each household declined.
- The share of people living alone has also grown: In 1960, 13% of all households (6.9 million) were people living by themselves. By 2022, that number was 28.9% (37.9 million).
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What are the demographics of multigenerational households?
Non-white people in the US are more likely to live with three or more generations under one roof: Nearly 20% of all Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander households are multigenerational. Among white households, it’s 5%.
Children were the most likely age group to live in this housing, with 11.4% of people under 18 living in multigenerational households, compared with 8.8% of people ages 18 to 24, 6.5% of people over 65, and 7.1% of adults ages 25 to 64.
A 2019 Census Bureau report on children’s living arrangements suggests that immigration influences multigenerational household patterns, as parents and grandparents move from abroad to live with family members who have recently immigrated.
What is the racial and ethnic background of multigenerational households?
In 2022, 19.9% of Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders lived in a multigenerational household, the most likely racial demographic to do so. That was followed by 14.9% of American Indian/Alaska Native households, 13.5% of Asian households, and 13.2% of Hispanic households.
The nationwide average for all racial and ethnic groups was 6.8%, with the white population below that, at 5.0%.
How many foreign-born people live in multigenerational housing?
In the US, multigenerational housing is more common among people who were born in another country. In 2022, 11.8% of foreign-born people lived with three or more generations under one roof, compared with 7.4% of people born in the US.
Does education correlate with multigenerational housing?
As educational achievement increases, the likelihood of living in a multigenerational household drops. In 2022, 12.9% of adults older than 25 without high school degrees lived in multigenerational housing, as did 8.5% of people who had completed high school, 6.8% of people with some college, 5.0% of people with associate’s or bachelor’s degrees, and 3.7% of people with advanced degrees.
Where do people live in multigenerational homes?
The most recent state- and county-level data comes from the 2020 decennial census. That year, 4.7% of all US households were multigenerational.
Top states for multigenerational families
Hawaii had the largest share of multigenerational households: 9.1%. In California, 7.3% of households were multigenerational, as were 6.0% in Texas.
Top counties for multigenerational families
South Dakota’s Oglala Lakota County had the highest percentage of multigenerational households, with 24% of all households containing three or more generations. Five of the top 10 counties were in South Dakota, and three were in Alaska.
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FAQs
Multigenerational households consistently make up about 3.8% of all households in the US. Various trends have changed the landscape of American housing over the past 50 years: Family sizes have shrunk from an average of 3.7 people in 1966 to 3.1 people in 2022.
What percentage of U.S. population lived in multigenerational households in 2016 30% 25% 20% 10%? ›
In 2016, a record 64 million people, or 20% of the U.S. population, lived with multiple generations under one roof, according to a new Pew Research Center analysis of census data. Multigenerational family living is growing among nearly all U.S. racial groups, Hispanics, most age groups and both men and women.
Are least likely to live in multigenerational homes in the United States? ›
The percentage of Black and Hispanic Americans who live in multigenerational households. These two demographics are the most likely to live in homes with at least two adult generations; White Americans are the least likely.
Why do people live in multigenerational homes? ›
Reasons For Living In A Multigenerational Home
We've compiled the top three reasons from respondents: 8% said home affordability and saving money were their primary concerns. 2% said they wanted to spend more time with family. 9% said providing care for older family members was a significant factor.
What countries is multigenerational living common? ›
The distinction between rural and urban areas is a named factor dictating the prevalence of multigenerational households in several countries (Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, France, India, Japan, South Africa), being connected with labour market and migration patterns (Dominican Republic, India, South Africa).
How common are multigenerational homes in the US? ›
In 2022, there were an estimated 4.8 million multigenerational households in the US — homes with three or more generations living under one roof — equal to 3.7% of all households in the country. Those households contain 26 million people, or 8.1% of the US population.
What percentage of the U.S. population is older than 18? ›
In 2020, the U.S. Census Bureau counted 331.4 million people living in the United States; more than three-quarters (77.9%) or 258.3 million were adults, 18 years or older — a 10.1% increase from 234.6 million in 2010.
What is the key disadvantage of multigenerational families? ›
Drawbacks of a multigenerational household
Living in close quarters with family members can sometimes lead to conflicts. Differences in opinions, lifestyles, lack of privacy and routines can cause tension and disagreements.
Is multigenerational housing making a comeback? ›
The research arm of the apartment listing and resident services company RentCafe went granular on Gen Z and found that 68 percent over the age of 18 still live with a parent or parents.
What generation owns the most homes in the US? ›
While baby boomers—defined as Americans between the ages of 58 and 76 in 2022—comprise just over 20% of the U.S. population, they account for nearly 38% of homeowners nationwide.
Multigenerational homes offer residents multiple advantages: shared expenses and homeowner responsibilities, stronger family relationships, and peace of mind knowing that aging or ailing family members are safe. Younger homeowners living with their parents may even find they have built-in child care.
When did people stop living in multigenerational homes? ›
These trends continued through 1980 when only 12% of the US population lived in a multigenerational household, the lowest in history. But since 1980, multigenerational living has become consistently more popular, with one-in-five Americans living in a multigenerational household in 2016.
What are the possible problems of a multigenerational family? ›
Multigenerational families face obstacles like the inability to place the children and elderly on health insurance policies, to obtain affordable housing, as well as enrolling the children in school.
Which group is least likely to live in multigenerational households? ›
Among major racial and ethnic groups, Americans who are Asian, Black or Hispanic are more likely than those who are White to live in a multigenerational family household.
How do you survive multigenerational living? ›
If you currently live in a multigenerational household, or are thinking about making the change, here are five tips for making it work for everyone.
- Prioritize communication. Communicate frequently and clearly. ...
- Define responsibilities. ...
- Respect privacy. ...
- Find shared hobbies and interests. ...
- Have realistic expectations.
A multigenerational household, or grandfamily, is one where more than two age groups live in the same home. This could be adults with children whose parents (the grandparents) also live with them. Or, it could be any other family members of different generations living together.
What percent of adults age 65+ live in a multigenerational household? ›
Final answer: Approximately 20% of people over 65 live with other members of their family. Explanation: In the United States, approximately 20% of adults aged 65 and older live with other members of their family in what is known as a multigenerational household.
What percentage of people are extended family households? ›
In March 2021, there were 59.7 million U.S. residents who lived with multiple generations under one roof, compared with 58.4 million in 2019, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of census data. The share of the U.S. population living in multigenerational households in 2021 was 18%.
What is the U.S. population breakdown by age? ›
| Demographics of the United States |
|---|
| Under 18 years | 22.2% (2021) |
| 18–44 years | 35.9% (2021) |
| 45–64 years | 25.2% (2021) |
| 65 and over | 16.8% (2021) |
20 more rowsso in a large enough population, you see it once in a while (low percentage). But experts say that for non-smokers, in excellent health, there is almost one in three chance that today, women will live to age 95 or beyond and one in five chance that men will live to age 95 or beyond.
