Affluent Families Push Multigenerational Home Buying to 17% in 2024 as Luxury Compounds Spread
Updated
Updated · Forbes · May 17
Affluent Families Push Multigenerational Home Buying to 17% in 2024 as Luxury Compounds Spread
2 articles · Updated · Forbes · May 17
A record 17% of homebuyers bought multigenerational homes in 2024, with affluent families increasingly using adjacent lots and large estates to build long-term family compounds.
At the luxury end, buyers are treating those purchases as a land play as much as a lifestyle choice, betting that contiguous properties will gain value while keeping relatives close after the pandemic.
Developers and architects are adapting with detached guesthouses, accessory dwelling units, private wings and separate entrances designed to balance shared living with independence.
Planning rules are lagging that demand: a recently approved Sydney project included a grandparent wing, but local regulations barred a full secondary kitchen with a sink or cooktop.
The shift broadens a trend also seen in the wider U.S. market, where multigenerational buying has risen as families respond to both financial pressures and changing living preferences.
As demand for shared living grows, will features like 'in-law suites' become standard in new American homes?
Is the return to multigenerational living a smart financial choice or a symptom of a failing social support system?
Beyond finances, what are the unspoken rules for families to maintain both harmony and independence under one roof?
Multigenerational Homebuying Surges to 14% in the U.S.: Economic, Social, and Market Impacts
Overview
Multigenerational homebuying is on the rise in the U.S., with 14% of buyers in 2025 choosing homes that accommodate multiple generations. This reflects a broader societal shift, as nearly one in five Americans now live in such arrangements. The number of people living in multigenerational households grew from 58.4 million in 2019 to 59.7 million in 2021, making up 18% of the population. This steady growth highlights changing family needs and economic realities, showing that more Americans are turning to shared living as a practical and supportive solution.