Four generations of a family moved in together. Their 'crazy dream' helps them save on childcare and elder care costs.

• Lily Telloyan lives with her husband, baby, parents, and grandparents in Lansing, Michigan.
• The family splits expenses and caregiving responsibilities.
• As the cost of living rises for Americans, more are living in multigenerational households.

When Lily Telloyan was in middle school, her household grew from two generations to four. Her grandparents and great-grandmother were getting older, so her parents moved the whole family under one roof in Lansing, Michigan.

Nearly 20 years later, four generations of the family are living together again.

After spending her college years in Indiana and then moving in with her husband, Alex, in Lansing, Lily started thinking about multigenerational living again. She hoped she could one day raise her own kids the way she'd been brought up.

"Even when I was dating my husband, I told him, this is my crazy dream," the 29-year-old said. "If he'd said that wasn't what he was into, I think I would have questioned the longevity of our relationship."

That dream became a reality when Lily, who's a remote special education teacher, got pregnant, and the couple faced the soaring costs of childcare and Lily's grandparents' growing needs. In November 2024, Lily and Alex moved in with Lily's parents, Naomi and Tim Van Loh, and her grandparents, Sam and Eva Telloyan. (Lily and Alex took Eva and Sam's last name when they married). Lily and Alex's son, Xander, was born in April 2025.

They're just one of a growing share of American families moving back in together — or never separating in the first place. The number of people in the US living in multigenerational households — or those with two or more adult generations — quadrupled between 1971 and 2021, according to Pew Research. Cost savings are driving the trend. Families can split rent and mortgage payments, and save on childcare costs and long-term care costs for older relatives.

"When I considered how much I enjoyed my work and teaching and the level of care my grandparents were needing, and seeing the impacts of that on my mom as their primary caregiver, I became more and more convinced that the intergenerational model would be most beneficial for everybody in the family," Lily said.

Are you living in a multigenerational household or an intergenerational community? Reach out to share your experience with this reporter at erelman@businessinsider.com.

Splitting expenses and caregiving

Mornings in the Telloyan-Van Loh house start around 6:30 am, when Xander wakes up. Lily gets him dressed before her dad, a pastor at a local church, supervises morning playtime. Alex walks the family dog, Snoopy, while Naomi helps her parents get up and ready for the day. Lily and Naomi make breakfast as Alex, who works in cybersecurity, leaves for the office. Lily hands the baby to her mom when she starts her workday. All of that happens before 9:30 am.

Naomi, who also works part-time as a remote educator, takes care of her grandson and her parents while the other adults are working. The childcare arrangement has allowed Lily to keep her job, which she loves. "Running the numbers, it seems like a wash, honestly, to pay for childcare on a teacher's salary," she said.

Eva, who's 87, has dementia and needs constant attention. Professional long-term care, like assisted living, would strain the family's finances and wouldn't give Naomi the peace of mind she has with her parents under her roof, she said. She takes classes on caregiving at the local library.

"I don't know how we would do it the other way," said Naomi, 58, said of Eva's care. "And, for me, knowing that she's safe, knowing that she's comfortable, knowing that she's happy, and I can see her and hear her, and I take care of everything she needs — to me that's worth more than money in the bank."

All six adult members of the family contribute financially to the household. They split living expenses, including utilities, property taxes, and groceries, evenly, though Naomi and Tim bought the house for $420,000 in 2021 and have since paid off the mortgage. Between the four working adults and Eva and Sam's Social Security benefits, their household income is around $230,000.

They've divided up the house so each couple has their own space. Naomi and Tim have the primary bedroom, Lily and Alex have two bedrooms and small offices downstairs, and Sam and Eva have their own bedroom and sitting room. Alex renovated the downstairs

Caregiving responsibilities are harder to divide equally. "I had to learn really early on — and I'm still not great at that — that we shouldn't really keep a running record, or try to keep things even when it comes to workload, we just all chip in and do our best as we are able," Lily said.

Sam often tells Naomi he worries that he and Eva are a burden on her and the family. But Naomi insists that she wouldn't have it any other way. She says she enjoys taking care of her parents, despite the challenges.

"We have this kind of ongoing conversation, too, about the balance between duty and desire for motivation," Naomi said. "Some people think it's your duty, you have to do this."

Lily chimed in, "The best case scenario is when you desire to do your duty."

There are also more mundane challenges. Logistics get a bit complicated when it comes to entertaining friends. The family has a shared calendar they use to plan their social engagements and travel six months in advance. Small things like a messy closet can create tension, so they're quick to address even minor infractions.

"When I'm irritated, I think to myself, 'This is what I signed up for because I like all the benefits," Naomi said. "I mean, every life has irritation, right? Even if you live alone, you might irritate yourself."

While multigenerational living is increasingly common, four generations in one home is still unusual. Lily and Naomi said they sometimes feel misunderstood by friends.

"When my friends hear about our lifestyle, we get a lot of negative comments, like, 'Oh, you need to be more independent.' Or like, 'Oh, are you doing this for financial reasons? Or are you saving up for a house?'" Lily said. "It takes people a little bit of time to realize this was plan A."

For now, they're sticking with plan A.

"I said to everybody, this is the last move of my entire life," Lily said. "I think now we're in a pretty stable place."