While we all value privacy and alone time every so often, according to housing and market reports, the newest housing trend isn’t about extending your privacy. It’s about limiting it. Communal living, living with friends and family in shared spaces, is on the rise in America, and in certain parts of the world, it’s always been the norm.

Communal living for adults isn’t like living in cramped college dorms. Instead of bunk beds and communal bathrooms, think shared kitchens and individual apartment-style bedrooms for each family. Also called co-living, it’s become many people’s answer to affordable, yet comfortable, living. Arguably the biggest reason communal living is gaining popularity is the social aspect. Not only does it offer a sharing of the burden of monthly expenses and responsibilities, but it also offers a built-in village.

Communal Living isn’t New

Throughout history, and still in many countries today, it was typical to share homes with extended family or community members for many reasons. Indigenous people would often live in longhouses with 30–60 family members to share fire and body heat during cold winters and to show outsiders what clan they were a part of. During the Industrial Revolution, workers, immigrants, and lower-class families flocked to boarding houses in factory cities so they could work and live in more affordable housing. Some boarding houses were also women-only, allowing women a chance to live independently and work.

Even today, it is common for extended family members to live under the same roof.1 For growing families, extra sets of hands are beneficial with kids. And it may be helpful to have older family members living with you so other people can help as they age. Whether it’s living with extended family or with long-term roommates, the desire for community and a more affordable way of living has driven people to communal living for centuries.

Why is Communal Living Gaining Popularity Now?

Beyond the ever-increasing cost of living, the shift to communal living is largely driven by the desire for community. Especially since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Americans are reporting increased feelings of loneliness and isolation. From large shifts like jobs turning fully remote to smaller changes like grocery delivery, self-checkouts, and media premiering on streaming services, it’s become easier and easier to avoid socializing.

While these luxuries are definitely convenient, people are finding that spending all their time alone isn’t beneficial for their mental, social, and even physical health. 2 According to The New York Times, that’s why Phil Levin started his own communal-living real estate business, Live Near Friends. After creating his own communal-living space, named the Radish, in Oakland, California, in 2018 and living in the space with his wife and up to 20 adults and children over the past 8 years, Levin became inspired to share his experience of co-living with others.

“What we basically learned over the course of Radish is like, there’s a pretty universal desire to live this way,” Levin told the New York Times.

According to market research by Fortune Business Insights, in 2026, the co-living market is valued at $10.31 billion and is expected to increase to $31.12 billion by 2034.3 As the cost of buying homes, rent, groceries, and even gas continues to rise, communal living is likely to become more popular across all demographics, socioeconomic statuses, and ages.

Types of Communal Living

There isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer for communal living spaces. According to The New York Times, Levin’s Radish property is made up of seven units on 14,000 square feet. The property includes a central ADU, called the “Fig,” where children often play, the “Blueberry,” which houses a shared kitchen, and apartment-style units for residents to live in with their families.

If you want to try communal living but aren’t ready to share kitchens or living rooms yet, Live Near Friends recommends using shared duplexes, apartments in the same building, and cottages around a shared courtyard. You could also try a finished basement, attic, or above-the-garage apartment to get a feel for communal living without completely renovating a space.

The Newest Housing Trend isn’t More Privacy – It’s Living with Your Friends by Claire Hoppe Norgaard | Better Homes & Gardens