For most of human history, multigenerational living was the norm. In many cultures, it’s still commonplace for kids, parents, grandparents, and even great-grandparents to share the same household.

However, multigenerational living hasn’t been the norm in the United States for a long time. Modern American culture highly values independence and individualism, often attaching negative judgment to “living with your parents” as an adult. But the tide appears to be turning in the U.S.

From 1971 to 2021, the number of Americans living in multigenerational households quadrupled, from 14.5 million to 59.7 million. Since 2000, that number has largely been driven by people under 40 years of age. Pew Research suggests young adults marrying later and staying in school longer than previous generations may be the reason. But that’s just one part of the bigger picture.

Roughly 45% of people ages 18 to 29 are living at home with their families, the highest figure since the 1940s, per Bloomberg— unusual_whales (@unusual_whales) August 14, 2026

Roughly 45% of people ages 18 to 29 are living at home with their families, the highest figure since the 1940s, per Bloomberg— unusual_whales (@unusual_whales) August 14, 2026

What’s great about multigenerational living

Human relationship dynamics being what they are, it’s easy to find complaints about living with multiple generations in the same household. Parents drive us nuts, kids don’t pull their weight, grandparents get grumpy, you name it.

But in reality, there are plenty of genuine benefits of multigenerational living.

Splitting household expenses

Homes cost money, not only in the form of rent or a mortgage payment, but also in utilities, taxes, insurance, and more. If those expenses are shared between more people, living costs less per person. Pew reports that families living in multigenerational households are less likely to live in poverty.

Of course, sometimes living with kids or grandparents means covering their expenses,........

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