Story Ideas

Tipsheet: Families in recession

The economic downturn has had an impact on children of all ages. Kids feel the effects when their parents are out of work, and many young adults have been forced to move back in with their parents or even their grandparents.

According to a new study by the Pew Research Center, 49 million Americans, or about 16% of the population, now live in multi-generational households--the highest number in 50 years. In 2008, when the recession hit, the number of Americans living with family members increased by more than 5% from the year before.

The change in living arrangements has been especially pronounced for 25-to-34-year-olds. Twenty percent of them now live with extended family, twice as many as in 1980. And a story in the New York Times suggests the change may be lasting.

“As the great recession has deepened and the job market has become tighter and tighter for young people, most especially those from minority backgrounds, more and more return or never leave the parental nest,” said Prof. Andrew A. Beveridge, a sociologist at Queens College of the City University of New York. “If such a trend continues or deepens, the economic crisis may be creating a true ‘Failure to Launch’ generation.”

Not all of the relocation has involved kids moving in with parents. Retirees are moving in with their working-aged children, according to the advocacy group Generations United. And as USA Today reports, the group believes there are health benefits for older people living in multi-generational households.

At the other end of the spectrum, young children are also feeling the effects of the recession. The San Jose Mercury News told the story by taking a snapshot of one classroom at Orchard School in San Jose, Calif.

The students in Room 32 keep their heads down, fingers on pencil, eyes on their math. But like kids across America, they know the recession is here in their classroom, and at home, and everywhere in between.

One child's mother had to move to another state to find work. Another child says his dad is afraid of losing his job. Every child in the class knows someone who is hurting because of the recession.

These kinds of stories have great potential for local TV and radio. Consider doing a profile of a multi-generational household or a classroom to show the impact of the economy on families, and use your website to provide more detail, including state or national statistics. As always, if you've done a story like this or plan to do one, send us a link!