The Relationship of Socioeconomic Status to Intergenerational Co-residence: A Comparative Historical Analyssi

In the United States, there was a strong positive relationship between socioeconomic status and intergenerational co-residence in the nineteenth century, but an inverse relationship in the late 20th century. A 2005 study carried out by the United Nations used cross-national comparisons to suggest that a similar shift is now underway around the world. To assess whether the hypothesized change is actually taking place, however, we need historical data from a variety of countries. This paper will make use of historical census data from the IPUMS-International project in an effort to detect whether the relationship between socioeconomic status and living arrangements shifted over time. The analysis will use census data from countries in Latin America, Africa, Asia, and Europe during the last third of the twentieth century. I will assess the relationship between living arrangements and socioeconomic status using indicators such as education, occupation, and housing characteristics.