Fewer U.S. grandparents are taking care of grandchildren, according to new data

Fewer grandparents were living with and taking care of grandchildren, there was a decline in young children going to preschool and more people stayed put in their homes in the first part of the 2020s compared to the last part of the 2010s, according to U.S. Census Bureau data released Thursday, reflecting some of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The decrease in grandparents’ taking care of their grandchildren is most likely the result of a decline in opioid-related deaths during the more recent timeframe since substance abuse is a leading reason that grandparents find themselves raising grandchildren. “Many grandparents thrive in that role, but there are still socioeconomic and emotional burdens on the grandparents.” A stronger economy in the most recent period also may be a reason that the number of grandparents living with their grandchildren declined from 7.2 million to 6.8 million by making it less likely that adult children with their own children were seeking housing help from their parents, she said. Additionally, fewer people moved and more people stayed put in the most recent time period compared to the earlier one, in many cases because of rising home values and the limited availability of homes to buy.