Why Are More Adults 18-34 Still Living With Parents?

Many parents care deeply for their children but look forward to greater independence once they reach adulthood or finish college. Meanwhile, more 18- to 34-year-olds are living at home.

When Should Young Adults Move Out of Their Parents’ Home?

Photo by Apartment Life on Unsplash

Many teenagers look forward to the day they can move out of their parents’ home and gain more independence. While 18 is widely seen as the legal age of adulthood, the reality of when young adults actually leave home has changed significantly over time.

Getty Images

It was more common in the 1950s and 1960s for young adults to leave home after graduating high school to attend college, join the military, or begin full-time work. Supported by postwar economic growth, expanded housing opportunities, and programs like the G.I. Bill, many were able to afford living independently at a younger age.

Read More: Child Injured in Terrifying Zoo Encounter

In 2026, young adults are staying at their parents’ homes much longer than previous generations.

Young Adults Are Moving Out Later, Here's Why

Getty Images

Historically, the median age at which young adults first left home was around 22.5 years old, though averages have varied between about 22 and 27 years old. Today, the share of 18- to 34-year-olds living with their parents has increased by roughly 33% over the past two decades.

Photo by Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash

Reporting at WOOD TV8, many young adults aged 18 to 34 are not primarily due to unemployment, but rather because of housing affordability challenges. Rising home prices and rental costs since the end of the pandemic have made it increasingly difficult for some to move out and live independently. In 2025, conditions reportedly worsened further for young adults.

Get our free mobile app

Following the 2008 Great Recession, private equity and investment firms began purchasing large numbers of foreclosed properties in bulk. Some analysts argue that this trend has contributed to rising home prices and rents, making housing less affordable for many working-class households and a factor in why more 18- to 34-year-olds continue living with their parents.

👇BELOW: The Best and Worst States for Working Parents in the US👇