Multigenerational living and children’s risk of living in unaffordable housing: differences by ethnicity and parents’ marital status

Abstract

ABSTRACT A growing share of Canadian households are living in unaffordable housing (i.e. spending 30% or more of their pre-tax income on housing costs). During this time, the prevalence of multigenerational living has also increased. Ethnic minority families are more likely than White families to live in multigenerational households. These trends raise the questions: (a) is multigenerational living a strategy for families to navigate the housing affordability crisis? (b) do ethnic minority children benefit more from multigenerational living than their White peers? Using confidential data from the 2016 Canadian Census, we examine how multigenerational living shapes the housing experiences of children under the age of 16. Multigenerational living is associated with consistent reductions in children’s odds of living in unaffordable housing. Yet, for those in single-parent families, this protective association is largest among White children. For those in dual-parent families, this protective association is largest among Black children. Socioeconomic disadvantage and a greater propensity for three-generation families to reside in metropolitan areas with expensive housing appear to suppress the benefits emerging from multigenerational living.