Who’s living under your roof? Three or four generations of family members living together in one house sounds like a TV sitcom plot, right? Multigenerational households in the United States are becoming increasingly popular, especially in the wake of the pandemic. A new study on multigenerational living has shown it has quadrupled in the past decade. In 2016, Pew Research estimated 64 million people (20% of the population) lived in this way.
A multigenerational home allows families to strengthen their loving bonds and their pockets. There are many benefits to living in this type of household: saving money, easy home financing, splitting responsibilities, less stress, and less loneliness. The secret to a happy family is living in a safe, healthy environment with plenty of opportunities. At Coventry, we wanted to figure out where in the U.S. a multigenerational household thrives the most.
Methodology
What does a good city for a multigenerational home look like? In our study, we determined which U.S. city is the best for multigenerational families by looking at several economic and housing factors, including the number of multigenerational households and the percentage of those households living in poverty. We ranked the top 50 most populated U.S. cities on their livability for multigenerational families.
Ranking Factors
Number of Multigenerational Households (Per 100K)
- Weight: 1.00
- Source: US Census
Percent of Multigenerational Households Living in Poverty
- Weight: 1.50
- Source: US Census
Housing Costs-To-Income Ratio for Multigenerational Households
- Weight: 1.50
- Source: US Census
Cost of Living Index (100 = US Avg)
- Weight: 1.00
- Source: City-Data
Unemployment Rate
- Weight: 1.00
- Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics
Number of Home Listings with 3+ Bedrooms
- Weight: 1.50
- Source: Zillow
- Weight: 1.00
- Source: Zillow
- Weight: 0.50
- Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Weight: 1.00
- Source: Movoto
Number of Home Listings with a Basement
Number of Employed Home Health & Personal Care Aids (Per 100K)
Median Square Footage
The 20 Best U.S. Cities for Multigenerational Families
One of the oldest cities in America, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania takes the crown for the best city for multigenerational households with a score of 40.8. The estimated median household income in 2019 was $47,474, $15,989 lower than the state’s average. Pennsylvania cities do not make another appearance in the top 20 —But cities in Texas and Ohio do. Houston ranked number 13 while Dallas followed behind in 17th place. The cities only have a .4 difference in score.
Cincinnati, Ohio was tied with Virginia Beach, Virginia in 19th with a score of 32.9. Cleveland ranked 20th with a score of 32.5. Cincinnati and Virginia Beach weren’t the only cities that tied. Washington, DC, and Nashville tied for 18th place with a score of 33.
The 10 Worst U.S. Cities for Multigenerational Families
The worst city for multigenerational families is San Francisco, California with a score of 20.7. The primary reason for this ranking is that compared to the best cities, San Francisco’s housing cost-to-income ratio is significantly higher. Hartford, Connecticut, the third worst city for multigenerational families, is ranked so low largely because of its lack of housing options that would be important for multigenerational households. It ranks last in both the media square footage of homes and the number of home listings with three or more bedrooms.
The golden state is ranked three more times in the bottom 10, with San Jose in fourth place, San Diego in fifth place, and Los Angeles in eighth place. It is the only state to make the list more than once. Each has a cost of living that is well over both the state and national average.
Other cities among the top 10 worst include New Orleans, Seattle, Buffalo, and Columbus. Memphis and Miami tied for seventh place.
Detailed Ranking Factors by City
Let’s break down the two ranking factors: housing and economic data. What makes a city rank poorly? Some large cities, like Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, and Miami are ranked so low because of the cost of living and housing cost vs a family’s income. While people who live in cities tend to earn more, a higher living cost is one of the first disadvantages to come to mind when considering cities. Places like California or New York are routinely known to have the highest cost of living in the United States.
City life is fun but can be expensive, especially when you’re raising a family. Choosing where you live matters! When you’re deciding where to settle down, important factors to consider are living expenses, housing options, and local economics.
Closing Thoughts
Not only can you enjoy living in comfort with your children and grandchildren, but you can save money while doing it! Coventry’s goal is to help you unlock much-needed funds from life insurance that you’ve overgrown. Is selling your life insurance enough to balance or diminish excessively high costs of long-term care? Or is multigenerational living a better solution for you and your family? Determine how much your life insurance could be worth and explore your options.