Exploring the Role of Metropolitan Areas on Intergenerational Coresidence

Jonathan Jackson, University of Maryland

This article examines the role metropolitan areas play in the likelihood of young adults residing with family. Using data from the American Community Survey, I look at how the economic and demographic characteristics of metropolitan areas with low proportions of young adults living with family differs from those with high levels. Employing a multilevel model, I find that some structural characteristics of metropolitan areas, net of individual effects, affect the probability of whether young adults live independently or with family. In terms of economic factors, a metropolitan area’s cost of housing, unemployment, and income appear to have a significant effect on intergenerational coresidence. On the demographic side, the racial and ethnic composition of the metropolitan area does impact the likelihood of living with family, regardless of individual characteristics.