As More Families Live Together for Longer—This Metro Stands Out for Multigenerational Households

Living with parents is taking on a whole new meaning because of the various circumstances adults may find themselves in. New research from the National Association of Realtors® found that multigenerational living is becoming more common.

The number of multigenerational households rose above 5 million in 2024 from approximately 4.49 million in 2014—about a 12% increase, according to NAR.

"What we are seeing isn't random. It's local economics meeting local demographics. Nationally, the share of multigenerational households fell slightly over the past decade," Nadia Evangelou, principal economist at NAR and author of the study, tells Realtor.com®.

To get more granular, the share of multigenerational households has increased in about 46% of metro areas over the past decade (2014–24). NAR economists identified the Riverside–San Bernardino–Ontario, CA, metro as seeing the most multigenerational growth.

In 2024, nearly 9% of households in Riverside (8.9%) were multigenerational, which is above the national average. Ten years ago, that share was 7.7%.

"In some markets like Riverside, it has increased. In high-cost metros where housing prices have increased faster than incomes, families decide to share space and expenses," says Evangelou. "But it's not just affordability; that's also part of the culture in some communities."

Affordability factor

The Riverside metro, which is about 60 miles east of Los Angeles, stands out from other Golden State metros because of its affordability factor.

The January median list price in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metro is $585,000. That's nearly half the median list price of the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA, metro ($1,025,000) and about $300,000 less than San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA ($899,000) and San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA ($859,000).

NAR economists found that families are making adjustments to make affordability work.

"For some families, that means adult children staying at home longer with their parents. For others, it means aging parents moving in. In many cases, it’s both—three generations under one roof, sharing mortgage payments, utilities, child care, and caregiving responsibilities," writes Evangelou.

Evangelou explains that multigenerational living isn't new, and in many communities, it is part of their culture. But she says in markets like Riverside, the economics are highlighting this trend.

"Affordability plays a big role. For many young adults, living at home allows them to save for a down payment or pay off debt," says Evangelou. "It's about adapting to a market where buying and even renting has become more expensive relative to incomes. And we see that reflected in the data. First-time buyers today are purchasing later in life."

But the research also points out that in high-cost markets, higher rents and home prices encourage “doubling up," with people choosing to have roommates, multigenerations living together, or adult children staying longer.

Home, sweet home

Overall, the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX, metro stands out for growing the most households. It went from 703,976 households in 2014 to 1,061,155 in 2024—an increase of 357,179, according to NAR.

"What makes Austin especially unique is that its growth isn't dominated by just one age group," Evangelou points out. "Yes, young professionals are moving in for jobs. But we’re also seeing growth among families and older households. That multigenerational mix creates a more stable and resilient housing market."

Meanwhile, in Jackson, MI—a city of 31,000 residents, roughly 65 miles east of Kalamazoo—the percentage of single-person households jumped more than 10%, rising from 28.6% in 2014 to 38.7% in 2024, according to NAR.