Determinants of Regional Disparities in Older Adult-Child Coresidence in China

Simin Dai, Centre d'Estudis Demografics CED (Autonomous University of Barcelona UAB)
Albert Esteve, Center for Demographic Studies (Barcelona)
Joan Garcia, CED

As population aging accelerates, understanding older adults' living arrangements, particularly coresidence with children, is crucial to meeting their diverse needs. While many studies have examined intergenerational coresidence across countries, regional variations within countries remain underexplored. This study addresses that gap by analyzing regional heterogeneity in intergenerational coresidence among older adults in China. Historically, China has been characterized by high coresidence levels but is facing rapid aging, socioeconomic shifts, and widening regional disparities over past decades. Using data from the 2000 Chinese Census and multilevel modeling, we examine how local contexts and individual characteristics shape coresidence patterns among 871,123 older adults (65+) across 340 prefectures. Our findings reveal substantial regional variation, with coresidence rates ranging from 20% to 86%. Individual factors, such as gender, marital status, age, education, and rural-urban residence, explain 8% of the variation, while regional factors—particularly the proportion of elderly residents and agricultural employment—are the strongest drivers. These results support modernization theories of household simplification and highlight the impact of population aging on living arrangements. More research and policy attention are needed to address regional disparities, especially in less-developed regions facing faster aging, outmigration of young populations, and underdeveloped eldercare systems.

Keywords: Families, Unions and Households, Multi-level modeling , Older Adults and Intergenerational Relations

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