Disclaimer: General educational research only — not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules differ by state and by family. Talk to an estate planning attorney in your state before you act.
Estate Planning Data & Research → Multigenerational Households by State
When grandparents, their adult children and grandchildren share one home, the question of who owns it, and who gets it when the owner dies, is often left unanswered. Census data counts 5,028,256 multigenerational households in the U.S. If the person on the deed dies without a plan, state law decides who inherits, and that may not be the relative who lives there and pays the bills.
This page shows multigenerational households in every state and D.C.
A shared family home is where a clear plan prevents the most disputes. Compare a trust and a will to see which fits a household with several generations.
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Cite this page URL when reusing findings. Not a substitute for official sources or professional advice.
Key findings
- 5,028,256 U.S. households are multigenerational, 3.79% of all 132,737,146 households (Census ACS 2024 1-year, table B11017).
- The share is highest in Hawaii (7.75%), California (5.92%), Texas (4.66%), and lowest in North Dakota (1.42%), Iowa (1.61%), Vermont (1.67%).
- By count, California (816,205), Texas (533,787), Florida (389,223) have the most.
Multigenerational households by state
| State | Multigenerational households | All households | Share multigenerational (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 70,046 | 2,059,528 | 3.4 |
| Alaska | 10,444 | 274,045 | 3.81 |
| Arizona | 125,116 | 2,982,475 | 4.2 |
| Arkansas | 41,819 | 1,246,754 | 3.35 |
| California | 816,205 | 13,797,638 | 5.92 |
| Colorado | 66,272 | 2,479,892 | 2.67 |
| Connecticut | 47,440 | 1,455,235 | 3.26 |
| Delaware | 18,174 | 412,304 | 4.41 |
| District of Columbia | 7,751 | 329,687 | 2.35 |
| Florida | 389,223 | 9,141,675 | 4.26 |
| Georgia | 185,018 | 4,220,732 | 4.38 |
| Hawaii | 38,199 | 493,151 | 7.75 |
| Idaho | 23,418 | 751,181 | 3.12 |
| Illinois | 175,841 | 5,105,448 | 3.44 |
| Indiana | 81,993 | 2,775,637 | 2.95 |
| Iowa | 21,686 | 1,343,422 | 1.61 |
| Kansas | 27,018 | 1,204,374 | 2.24 |
| Kentucky | 57,667 | 1,865,456 | 3.09 |
| Louisiana | 62,571 | 1,848,965 | 3.38 |
| Maine | 12,682 | 615,235 | 2.06 |
| Maryland | 106,801 | 2,401,394 | 4.45 |
| Massachusetts | 102,258 | 2,829,804 | 3.61 |
| Michigan | 115,146 | 4,131,281 | 2.79 |
| Minnesota | 44,956 | 2,363,442 | 1.9 |
| Mississippi | 51,533 | 1,176,690 | 4.38 |
| Missouri | 73,222 | 2,563,244 | 2.86 |
| Montana | 11,605 | 468,981 | 2.47 |
| Nebraska | 20,819 | 824,012 | 2.53 |
| Nevada | 56,316 | 1,238,925 | 4.55 |
| New Hampshire | 16,296 | 570,689 | 2.86 |
| New Jersey | 161,255 | 3,543,944 | 4.55 |
| New Mexico | 35,887 | 856,970 | 4.19 |
| New York | 322,001 | 7,828,074 | 4.11 |
| North Carolina | 140,801 | 4,496,359 | 3.13 |
| North Dakota | 4,958 | 349,705 | 1.42 |
| Ohio | 131,356 | 4,929,322 | 2.66 |
| Oklahoma | 51,580 | 1,603,748 | 3.22 |
| Oregon | 49,784 | 1,744,270 | 2.85 |
| Pennsylvania | 167,091 | 5,361,724 | 3.12 |
| Rhode Island | 17,094 | 448,318 | 3.81 |
| South Carolina | 79,232 | 2,222,890 | 3.56 |
| South Dakota | 7,811 | 382,302 | 2.04 |
| Tennessee | 101,742 | 2,928,765 | 3.47 |
| Texas | 533,787 | 11,449,769 | 4.66 |
| Utah | 44,160 | 1,184,428 | 3.73 |
| Vermont | 4,771 | 285,548 | 1.67 |
| Virginia | 121,419 | 3,449,307 | 3.52 |
| Washington | 102,262 | 3,168,080 | 3.23 |
| West Virginia | 24,427 | 740,840 | 3.3 |
| Wisconsin | 44,649 | 2,535,198 | 1.76 |
| Wyoming | 4,654 | 256,289 | 1.82 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 1-year estimates, table B11017. The Census Bureau defines a multigenerational household as one with three or more generations: the householder, the householder’s children and grandchildren, or the householder’s parents and children.
What this means if you’re planning
- Put the deed and the plan in writing. If a parent owns the house and an adult child lives there, a will, trust or transfer-on-death deed decides who gets it.
- Without a will, every heir may share. Siblings who don’t live in the home can end up co-owning it. See the intestacy gap and heirs property.
- Name a guardian for grandchildren if a grandparent is raising them. See who would raise the kids.
- Write down contributions. If a child pays the mortgage or for repairs, say in the plan how that should count.
Related: older adults living alone · inherited home value by state
Related research: grandparents raising grandchildren by state shows where grandparents are responsible for the grandchildren they live with.
Methodology
Census ACS 2024 1-year estimates, table B11017 (multigenerational households), pulled from the Census API on Oct. 12, 2026. Shares are multigenerational households divided by total households in the same table. Survey estimates have margins of error. Puerto Rico is excluded.
What this doesn’t measure. Who owns the home, or whether any household member has a will.
Frequently asked questions
How many multigenerational households are there?
5,028,256, 3.79% of U.S. households (ACS 2024).
Who inherits a shared family home?
Whoever the deed, will, trust or transfer-on-death deed names. If there’s no plan, your state’s intestacy law decides, which often means all children share.
Is this legal advice?
No. An estate planning attorney can help you title a shared home.
Sources
Public-domain government sources only. Fetched 2026-10-12.
Data
- U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 1-year, table B11017 (Multigenerational Households): https://api.census.gov/data/2024/acs/acs1/groups/B11017.html
Cite this data
Family Estate Guide, “Multigenerational Households: Who Inherits the Shared Home? Data by State,” October 2026. https://familyestateguide.com/estate-planning-data/multigenerational-households-by-state/
You’re welcome to reuse the table with a link back to this page. The underlying government data is public.
Published October 12, 2026 by Family Estate Guide. Data vintage: Census ACS 2024 1-year (released Sept. 2026). Editorial standards.