Cohousing is a growing phenomenon in both rural and urban areas, according to Cohousing.org. Its online directory lists some 237 U.S. communities on 4,600 acres in 36 states. Most include 20 to 40 households and a common house with a kitchen and dining room, where community members serve optional group meals a few times a week. Other common areas include lounge and recreational facilities for adults and children, and frequently a workshop, plus laundry and even a guest room.

Craig Ragland, director of the Cohousing Association of the United States, says that most of the approximately 120 cohousing communities that the association knows of, with another 80 to 100 under development, are multi-generational. Several others are built or retrofitted for seniors. According to The New York Times, enthusiasts predict another wave of building once the housing market stabilizes, because the baby boomers are coming.

As one cohousing resident remarks, “The baby boomers are used to figuring out their own solutions. We think they’ll like the idea of coming together and designing their own communities.” The time to get a head start on participating is during one’s 50s or 60s.