Family composition impacts individual consumption habits, which may potentially transform urban integral space structure. Due to the reform in the housing system at the end of the 1990s and increases in residents’ income, houses became more affordable, and intergenerational household cohabitation is no longer the primary pattern. Nonetheless, as families change, it still remains an important form of family composition. Intergenerational support is important in household habitation. This study examines the temporal changes and the structure of intergenerational household cohabitation. Moreover, intergenerational factors in groups of all genders and ages are analyzed. We found that intergenerational household cohabitation in Chengdu comprises three structures: elders living with married children, elders living with unmarried children, and elders living with grandchildren. According to multiple logistic regression, we can see that inadequate housing, economy of costs, cases of emergency, fear of loneliness, care of grandchildren, and poor health have marked effects on household cohabitation, and the positive or negative effects are distinct regarding different structures. To be more specific, the significance of financial support in family composition decreases, and that of support in daily care increases with age. The influence of financial support, daily care support, and emotional support peaks among those aged between 35–60, followed by individuals under 35, and those aged over 60. Financial support is comparatively important for individuals under 35, and females attach more importance to emotional support in intergenerational household cohabitation. The findings provide a basis for subsequent studies of family composition.
Rural living conditions (RLCs) in China are influential on the overall development and stability of regions, particularly for populations in distant poverty-stricken villages. This paper takes 16 villages of Chedao town in Gansu province, Northwest China (NWC) as our case study. Using data from the Poverty Alleviation and Assistance (PAA) project launched by Lanzhou University in June 2017, and the perceptions of residents of Chedao, we pinpoint RLC changes in the targeted poverty alleviation (TPA) process. The three main results show that: (1) From the residents’ perceptions, the impact of alleviation measures on RLC is mainly reflected in improved housing conditions, infrastructure, and public services. We find no significant effect on cultural conditions. However, eco-environmental conditions have obviously weakened. (2) Housing size, accessibility, distance to shops, and safe drinking water are the most significant factors in housing conditions, infrastructure, public services, and eco-environmental conditions, respectively. (3) Out of the different levels of rural poverty households (RPHs), severe rurality villages are more strongly aware of the positive changes in RLC than residents of mild rurality villages. Moreover, in residents’ view, housing conditions are most improved in severe rurality villages, infrastructure is most improved in moderate rurality villages, and public services are most improved in mild rurality villages. Eco-environmental conditions worsen across all levels. Our findings shed light on the perceptions of residents on changes occurring in rural living conditions, and provide a basis for subsequent studies of RLC in Northwest China.