Young adults are now more likely to live with parents than with romantic partners, a new study reveals. This is the first time in 130 years this situation has existed in the United States, researchers stated.
The Pew Research Center made the announcement following an extensive review of census data. While the shift was seen in young American adults, the condition was also seen in other nations as well.
Young people in Europe were found to be more likely than at any time in recent history to still be living at home. The percentage of young adults living with their parents ranged from a low of 18.6 percent in Denmark to a high of 72.5 percent in Macedonia. Across the 28 member nations of the European Union, 48.1 percent of people aged 18 to 34 still lived with their parents during 2014. While 54.4 percent of males made their home with their parents, just 41.7 percent of females still live with one or more parents.
Researchers state there is no single factor driving young people to stay at home, or to return after time spent on their own. The global financial recession that started in 2007 may play a role in the societal change, but economic conditions do not appear to be the solitary cause.
"This turn of events is fueled primarily by the dramatic drop in the share of young Americans who are choosing to settle down romantically before age 35. Dating back to 1880, the most common living arrangement among young adults has been living with a romantic partner, whether a spouse or a significant other," the Pew Research Center stated.
Living with a significant other is an arrangement that became most popular around the year 1960. At that time, 62 percent of young people shared living quarters with a significant other. During that era, just 20 percent of this group still lived with their parents.
In 2014, 35 percent of young American men lived with their mother and/or father, while 28 percent shared a home with a romantic partner. The numbers were nearly reversed for females, with 35 percent living with a significant other, while 29 percent were at home, a characteristic between genders that has been seen since 1880.
As the economy continues a slow recovery, researchers will examine how housing demographics will change over time.
