The popularity of multi-generational housing has gone up in the past ten years, as households ranging from the average family in Florida to the Obamas in the White House are increasingly including multiple generations, according to a news segment aired on CBS.
There’s a growing trend of new homes designed specifically for multi-generational families, featuring attached apartments or multiple master suites.
“As many families consolidate costs, the number of households with at least three generations has risen by 30% over the last decade,” says CBS.
A homebuilder interviewed for the segment said they saw this happening about two-and-a-half to three years ago, and estimates that about 25% of homes in the newest Orlando, Fla. development were designed for multigenerational—and they’re selling quickly.
It was only after World War II that it became the “norm” for grandparents to live on their own if they could, according to the CBS reporter, and it used to be that over half lived with their children and grandchildren.
In 2008, an estimated 16.7% of the total U.S. population lived in a household that had at least two adult generations, up from 12% in 1980, according to the Pew Research Center.
“The current surge in multi-generational households is linked to the economy,” says Pew.
Written by Alyssa Gerace
