One basic way that households cope with high housing costs is to opt for a unit smaller than what they want or need. A family of four might not be able to afford a two-bedroom apartment, but able to afford a 1-bedroom apartment. They are housed but overcrowded. Overcrowding is defined here as Greater than 2 household members per bedroom.
Households also adapt to high housing costs by living with parents or extended family, or living with other family units in a “doubled up” household with two distinct “subfamilies.” These multigenerational or combined households may or may not be overcrowded, and some may be doubled up by choice, tradition, or convenience. When families double-up strictly for financial reasons, it can ease the cost of living while also putting increased stress on personal or family relations, and lower educational outcomes for children. Lower income households, specifically households of color, are more likely to be in overcrowded housing situations.
In Massachusetts, there are an estimated 49,000 overcrowded households, 1.8% of the total. The rate of overcrowding ranges by RPA from 0.4% in the Berkshire region to 2.6% in the Merrimack Valley region. Overcrowding is predominately a problem for households with children under the age of 18. They make up 74% of all overcrowded households and are overcrowded at a rate of 5.4% compared to a rate of 0.4% for households without children. BIPOC households are five times more likely to be overcrowded than White households, at a rate of 4.5% for all BIPOC households compared to 0.9% for White households.
Most overcrowded households (65%) are in rented units. About 8% either own their home free and clear or don’t pay rent, both of which are strong incentives to stay put. Most overcrowded households aren’t huge, 30% are six or more people, 70% just need a two- or three-bedroom unit to have an adequate room.
These days everyone has a story about “empty nesters” whose adult children are living at home, often due to high housing costs. It is estimated that 15.0% of all households are households with a parent head of household and adult children living at home. About one third of those households also had a child under the age of 18. By combining incomes from multiple adults, these households are more likely than the general population to have higher income and less likely to be cost burdened.