A New York Times report found that on average most Americans live within 18 miles of their mom.
This finding follows a report by Washington University in St. Louis that discovered most Americans lived within 25 miles of their mothers back in 2015.
3 in 10 Americans live within an hour of extended family
While some people will be returning to their families for the upcoming holidays, many don’t have to drive far.
The Pew Research center reported that about 3 in every 10 Americans live within an hour of most of their extended family.
“The majority of my friends that are married and starting to have kids all live local still, while the ones that moved out of state are still living the bachelor life,” health insurance worker Spencer Gillis said, per Marketplace.
Why do most Americans live near mom?
NPR reported that in an interview with Quoctrung Bui of The New York Times, who conducted the research, Bui said that the report’s results probably stem from what a person gains by being near family.
Those who have lower and middle incomes typically end up living closer to extended family than those in the upper-income bracket. Those who live in the upper-income bracket typically do not live near extended family, according to Pew Research Center.
“If you think about your family and what they can possibly do for you, like, that is in itself a form of income,” Bui said.
The data in a comprehensive survey of older Americans found that older citizens in the U.S., especially those who tend to have a lower income or lower education level, typically do not leave their hometowns as they become less mobile.
“If you feel compelled to move away from your family, then this idea is you have to be compensated in maybe extra money or more prestige or better job opportunities to kind of offset that cost,” Bui said.
Does this information differ across the U.S.?
The New York Times reported that “families live closest in the Northeast and the South, and farthest apart on the West Coast and in the Mountain States. Part of the reason is probably cultural — Western families have historically been the least rooted — but a large part is geographical: People live farther apart in rural areas.”
Elderly people in the U.S. find the greatest source of care for themselves through their adult children, according to AARP.
Despite adult children being the main source of care for the elderly, there are not enough children caring for their elderly family.
In another report, AARP found that there are roughly seven family members who could give care for every person over 80 and this number is expected to go down to four by 2030. This number is expected to decrease as priorities are shifting in daily life.
“The culture of caring is not well rewarded in this country,” health care policy analyst Anne Tumlinson said. “You go from raising your kids and dealing with all the challenges of compromising your career that come along with that, and then all of a sudden you’re thrust back into a caregiving role.”
In research published by the Journal of Marriage and Family, it was reported that Mexican-American households tend to give in-person care for elderly family members and Euro-American households tend to aid elderly family members through financial support.