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A record number of young adults live with parents. Why?
USA Today • • general
Key Points:
- In 2025, over 25 million adults under 35 lived with their parents, marking the highest number on record and representing one in three individuals in this age group, driven primarily by rising housing costs.
- Median home prices have increased 34% since 2019 to $430,000, and median rents have risen 18%, making independent living financially challenging for many young adults despite most being employed.
- The share of adults aged 25-34 living independently has dropped from 74% in 2005 to 62% in 2024, while those living with parents rose from 12% to 20%, contributing to a decline in first-time homebuyers and an increase in the average age of first-time buyers to 40.
- Delayed marriage and the need for dual incomes to afford housing contribute to young adults staying in parental homes, with men more likely than women to live with parents due to later marriage ages.
- An often overlooked factor is the caregiving role young adults play for aging parents, as many baby boomers require assistance, leading some children to live at home to support their parents.
