Can you imagine living with roommates who range in age from newborn to senior citizen? Well, new Census data shows that 1 in 5 households are multigenerational, which means grandkids, adult children, and grandparents all live in one house or apartment together. There’s been a 21% jump in “multi-gen” households in the last couple of years. Experts predict the trend is here to stay, and will only get bigger.

Why? It all boils down to the economy. The sky-high unemployment rate has forced a lot of people to cut costs any way they can. And the easiest cost-cutting tactic is to live with family members, and split the big expenses like rent, food and utilities.

Like one young woman we read about who was on maternity leave when her husband was laid off. They could no longer afford their apartment. So, baby, mom, and dad moved in with the woman’s 80-year-old grandmother. Everyone says it’s a win-win situation. The couple loves that they’re no longer stressed about money and the grandmother loves the non-stop company.

In fact, the multi-gen trend is so big, that housing builders are now cashing in on it. For example, the construction company Lennar is building what they call “Next Gen” houses, which are designed specifically for multigenerational families. What does a Next Gen house look like? Some have dual master suites, so two couples can live comfortably. Some are like duplexes, with common areas. Others are one big house, attached to a smaller “mini” house. That includes a separate entrance, kitchenette, and master bedroom suite. That way, there’s plenty of room for extended families to live together, but still have some privacy.