What are multigenerational homes?

Multigenerational homes are ones in which relatives of at two or more generations are all living together in the same home. Children growing up with parents or adult children still living in their parents’ home don’t technically count as multigenerational homes. 

The most common form of multigenerational living is related children plus parents, plus grandparents living together under one roof. But multigenerational living comes in all kinds of forms.

Between rising inflation, rising home prices, and the general cost of living these days, multigenerational homes are becoming more common and more worth considering for the average family.

How common are multigenerational homes? 

While multigenerational homes are very common in many parts of the world, they have been less so in the United States. In 1980, just 12% of American adults lived in a multigenerational home. Today, however, that percentage has more than doubled to 26%.

There are a number of reasons for the stark rise, both practical and financial. For many adults, the challenge of pursuing a career and raising children proves too challenging. Having another generation in the house to help with childcare, as well as contributing to housing costs can be extremely helpful. Likewise, it may be easier to care for an elderly adult when they’re living with you, too.

Considering that the average household devotes 34.9% of its income to housing, while the average cost of child care is $10,000 a year and adult care can rise over $50,000 a year, it’s no surprise that multigenerational homes are on the rise.

What are the benefits of multigenerational households?

There are a number of distinct benefits that multigenerational households have over traditional ones, including:

• Greater financial security and lower living expenses thanks to more people contributing towards the bills
• Improved relationships between family members, especially intergenerationally
• More convenient, personal care for children and adults 
• More savings for things like education, hobbies, and debt repayment

By some estimates, multigenerational homes can save families around $60,000 in adult home care and up to $25,000 in child care per year. Research also shows that people who grow up in multigenerational households have better mental and physical health.

What are the drawbacks of multigenerational living?

Multigenerational living isn’t all sunshine and roses. There are several drawbacks, including:

• Less privacy given a more crowded home
• More conflicts as more family members are sharing closer quarters — it’s harder to step away
• When asked to care for both older parents and children, caregivers can burn out over time

Should you live in a multigenerational home?

This is a question you’ll have to answer for yourself. We’ve laid out the pros and cons of living in a multigenerational home and explored some of the ways to make it a more positive experience. Ultimately, you’ll have to decide how practical it is to bring another generation into your home and if the financial savings justify the additional challenges of having to share your space.

Tips for turning your house into a multigenerational home 

If you’re thinking about turning your house into a multigenerational home, there are a number of tips and tricks to consider to make it the best experience possible for all family members.

Create separate spaces and common spaces

Everyone needs privacy in their own home, but it’s also important to foster a sense of community in a multigenerational home so everybody feels welcome. 

You could help support private spaces by giving individuals (or a set of grandparents) their own private entrance, in addition to their own room. That might mean creating an ADU.

If you work from home, you’ll want a private workspace that’s removed from the rest of the family. A finished basement or even an attic might work as an office.

Common spaces like kitchens, patios, and living rooms should be places where you eat meals and set aside time to do fun things together. Even if it’s just watching a movie, it’s important to make time to enjoy common spaces with one another. 

Set rules and respect them

Home is where the heart is, but it’s also where we’re all at our most vulnerable. To coexist peacefully in a multigenerational home, everyone needs to be aware of one another’s rules and respect them. Violating one another’s privacy or doing little things that bother someone can fester into resentment over time.

Talk openly to one another about what you need in terms of time, space, cleanliness, and other rules. It’s vital to clarify expectations and preferences ahead of time, especially if you’ve never all lived together under the same roof for an extended period of time.

There are, of course, basics like not entering someone’s room without knocking and cleaning up your own dishes, but it also extends to common courtesy to simply allow adults in the home to make their own decisions so long as they aren’t impacting another person. Setting a standard of personal responsibility is valuable so that everyone knows they’re an important member of the household who has to contribute to its success.

At the same time, don’t step on one another’s toes too much. Grandparents may want to make the parenting rules for the little ones, but that’s not their space. Rather than fighting that battle, grandparents, prioritize things like no calls at the dinner table.

Communicate frequently

Setting expectations and preferences isn’t just a one-time thing. There’s no way you can cover absolutely everything that might become an issue in a single conversation. As such, it’s crucial that everybody feels that they can express concerns in a respectful manner.

You’ll develop good living cohesion over time by setting little rules like controlling music volume or throwing away all of your trash when you’re done. But it’s important to always maintain open communication lines so that when new chores arise or new issues emerge, you’re able to speak about them respectfully and honestly.

Give one another time and space

This is just a basic rule of living with anyone. We all need time to recharge after a busy day. When you sense that someone is exhausted from the stress of caregiving or worn down after work, just leave them be. Even if they want to relax in a common space, they should be able to do so from time to time without being pestered.

Likewise, in a multigenerational household, there may be several caregivers. Give one another a day off from time to time, allow each other breaks, and encourage one another to pick up hobbies, take little coffee trips, and be open and honest about their health.

Set up time to spend together

Eating dinner together every single night may not be a realistic goal for every family. But you should still set up time for all generations to do things together. Maybe it’s a movie night, a game night, or an outing once a month — whatever you like to do, it’s important to build little traditions and stick to them as much as you can to reinforce the bond between generations.

Should you live in a multigenerational home?

This is a question you’ll have to answer for yourself. We’ve laid out the pros and cons of living in a multigenerational home and explored some of the ways to make it a more positive experience. Ultimately, you’ll have to decide how practical it is to bring another generation into your home and if the financial savings justify the additional challenges of having to share your space.