Nearly half of young adults live at home and nearly half get help paying the bills, Fed survey shows

Key Points:

• Nearly half (49%) of U.S. adults aged 18 to 29 live with their parents, and 47% receive financial help from outside their household for expenses, indicating significant economic dependence among young adults.
• The rise in young adults living at home and receiving financial support is linked to broader economic challenges such as housing affordability, inflation, and difficulties in securing first jobs, contributing to delayed household formation, marriage, and childbearing.
• This trend extends beyond the youngest adults, with 26% of those aged 30 to 44 also receiving financial assistance, reflecting a broader shift in economic stability across age groups.
• Experts warn that these demographic changes have far-reaching economic impacts, including reduced home buying, lower fertility rates, and effects on school enrollment and retirement ages, potentially reshaping migration and lifetime earnings patterns.
• Despite inflation pressures, the share of households reporting financial comfort has remained relatively stable since 2021, though declines are concentrated among those without a high school diploma, highlighting increasing economic disparities.