Trends and Correlates of Multigenerational Coresidence, 1989-2009

Robin Pleau, University of California, Davis

A convergence of demographic, social and economic changes suggests that multigenerational coresidence may have increased in recent years. Trends include an aging population, lower rates of marriage and mortality, and higher rates of single-parenthood and contingent work. Together with the recent economic downturn, these trends suggest that individuals increasingly may need to call upon family for support. One of the ways family members support one another in times of need is by sharing household resources, including forming multigenerational households. In this paper, I add to the literatures on intergenerational support and household structure by examining recent trends in the prevalence of U.S. multigenerational households (three or more generations coresiding) using March CPS data. Specifically, the paper presents 1) recent trends in the prevalence of multigenerational households from 1989-2009; and 2) an analysis of the correlates of multigenerational coresidence that might help explain observed trends.