“Roughly 70% of 25- to 34-year-olds living with parents are employed,” said Hannah Jones, a senior economist at Realtor.com and author of a new report on young adults at home. “That share held steady even as the overall co-residence rate has climbed, meaning the growth is coming from working adults, not people waiting to find jobs.”
The report counts 25.2 million young adults still living with their parents, nearly one in three in the age range. Jones called the employed-at-home group the most striking finding. “Something about their income level, debt load, or the cost of housing in their market is keeping them home despite steady employment,” she said.
The numbers
Among adults aged 25 to 29, 20.4 per cent lived with their parents last year, nearly six points higher than a quarter-century earlier. For those aged 30 to 34, the share almost doubled, from 7.1 per cent in 2000 to 12.7 per cent last year.
Housing costs are the biggest factor Realtor.com identified. The median home price in 2025 was $430,000, up 34.4 per cent from 2019, the year before the pandemic took hold. Median rent was $1,673, up 17.9 per cent. The report estimates a housing supply gap of 4 million units.
Debt weighs on the age group too. The New York Federal Reserve found that 18- to 29-year-olds generally owe less than older adults, but what they owe is tied up in student loans, auto loans and credit cards. Older borrowers carry more debt, mostly mortgages, which can build wealth. Jones said the rise in college attendance over 25 years probably plays a role: “More widespread student debt may be constraining what an entry-level salary can actually buy in terms of independent living.”
Not living for free
Staying home seldom means paying nothing. Pew Research Center found that 72 per cent of young adults living at home contribute to the household. Some 65 per cent help pay for groceries, utilities or other expenses, and 46 per cent help with rent or the mortgage.
Parents feel it as well. Jim Chamberlin, a Vulcan 7 real estate agent, told Realtor.com that some buyers have begun asking whether a home can hold three generations instead of two. Adult children at home can also put off a parent’s plan to downsize, leaving them with the larger mortgage, utility bills and property taxes.
Sources
- More young adults living with parents, even after finding a job, new report shows
- Third of US adults between 24 and 35 still live with parents: study
