Global Economy · Thursday, September 10, 2026 · 7
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Multigenerational living surges as housing costs bite across Europe and US
Rising housing prices and economic pressures are driving more families and young adults to live together under one roof or in co-living spaces. In the US, multigenerational households quadrupled to nearly 60 million between 1971 and 2021, per Pew Research. In Europe, co-living schemes in Berlin and London are attracting professionals in their 30s and 40s with rooms starting at €450 a month.
Bottom line — Nearly 60 million US households now house multiple generations, while European co-living providers report growing demand from older age groups.
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- Nearly half of US adults aged 18–29 live with their parents, up from about 25% in 1960 and at levels not seen since the Great Depression, per a Wharton School study cited by USA Today.
- In the UK, co-living provider The Collective is expanding with rooms twice the size of its original scheme, targeting a wider age range with amenities like spas and libraries, per The Spaces.
- Berlin-based Vonder offers co-living rooms from €450 a month (bills included), while LifeX charges from €1,070 a month in cities including Paris and Copenhagen, per The Spaces.
- A Generations United survey found that 76% of Americans in multigenerational homes report positive mental or physical health effects, though 75% also cite stress, per USA Today.
- Home contractor Kevin Kennedy in Philadelphia says multigenerational conversions now make up 65–75% of his business, up from one every couple of years before 2018, per USA Today.
- Older Americans are also joining the trend: 18% of those 65+ lived in multigenerational homes in 2021, up from 9% in 1971, per Pew Research cited by USA Today.