More multigenerational households in immigrant areas

A Bureau of the Census brief shows a rising trend of grandparents, children and grandchildren living in the same home. According to researchers, this rise is fueled largely by hard times, the increase in Hispanics and other immigrants, and cultural preferences.

Multigenerational households are more likely to be in areas where immigrants live with relatives and in places where housing costs are so high that families are doubling up, according to the state-by-state Census brief. Non-Hispanic white families make up the smallest share of these households — 3.7 percent compared with more than 10 percent Hispanic and American Indian and 9 percent black and Asian.

Households of three or more generations also are prevalent in low-income areas and places with a higher percentage of children born to unmarried mothers.

Multigenerational families live in 4.3 million homes in the U.S., or 5.6% of all family households. That's up from 3.7% in 2000. In California, 8.2 percent of the households are multigenerational.

Almost two-thirds of these families include a householder, a child and a grandchild. About a third have a householder, a parent and a child.

The largest concentration of multigenerational families are in the South, West and eastern coastline — areas that have a lot of immigrants, expensive housing or both.

Unemployment has sent many young adults back to the nest in recent years but demographers expect that pattern to be temporary.

Boomerang kids may eventually move out but home builders are preparing for the tidal wave of aging Americans that they expect will lead to more generations moving in together.

Source: USA TODAY, More multigenerational households in immigrant areas, by Haya El Nasser, October 25. 2012.

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