Why are half of adults 18-24 stuck living with their parents?

Question

JoePro_ · Accepted Answer

I didn't respond with any of the given options for "Why?" because I think it's multiple things going on.

First, societal expectations for children have changed. That doesn't mean traditional households exist, only that children staying at home for longer periods of time has become more socially acceptable, because other things have also changed. So I think it's understood that not all children will leave home at 18.

Some of the things that have changed is the expectation for higher learning. This is now starting to be unlearned, but for the last 30-40 years, it's been taught that the only way to be successful is to go to college/uni and get a degree. And because lots of things are expensive, and because parents want to be helpful, one of the way to mitigate the expenses and be helpful is to let your children stay with you while they work on their degree.

Additionally, college and uni are far more expensive than they used to be. A lot of that has to do with government loans. Because schools know that the government is willing to give x-amount of money toward a student's education, college's ask for the full amount by the way they set their costs, and as such, every time the government increases the amount of loans they're willing to give out (at the expense of the taxpayer), schools increase the costs of education. And the government works it into their tax increases because not all loans get repaid, and so that falls on the taxpayer. So we're paying for it out of both ends. Profits on loans, and tax increases.

Another common complaint is that it's nearly impossible to have a home or even apartment of your own on a single wage. That's true. Part of that has to do with inflation, part of it has to do with a "doubled" workforce", and part of it has to do with ever-increasing insurance and overhead costs.

Inflation is inflation. Long story short, sometimes inflation is just a result of the nature of how the economy is doing, and sometimes it's about how much money exists in the economy. Basically, as the cost of goods increases, so does everything else up the chain. As an example of "the nature of the economy", it would be farms. If it cost more for water and feed one year, then the cost of the crops and herds cost more to raise, which increases their cost to sell, which increases the cost of what the grocery store charges, which increases the cost of your food budget. And this doesn't just affect "people" buying food, but other businesses. And so their costs to operate also go up. For how inflation is tied to the amount of currency floating around the economy, you can look that part up.

A doubled workforce is the fact that both men and women are now in the workforce. When workers were less, employers had to incentivize the best workers of the bunch with higher wages. But because the workforce has more options for employers, they can pay less and have more workers. That's why corporations were backers in "Women's Rights". Not because they cared about women, but they knew (in the long run) that it would lower their operation costs and wages. Now, because men and women are about equal in the workforce, it takes 2 wages to support a single house, whereas before women were in the workforce, it took 1 wage to support a house.

Insurance and other overhead costs tend to be tied to government regulations, Federal and State (here in the US). As such, when regulations get tighter, or increase, or get more expensive, it falls on the businesses to come within compliance. This usually increases the time it takes for a business to be within compliance, and the fees it costs when they're not incompliance, and the fees the government is requiring the business to charge for certain products and services. Which falls on the employees in some ways (out of their paycheck), or in taxes and fees directly to the government.

All that said, it's expensive to live on your own, and if you want to live on your own, you either need to find a job that pays great at 18 (usually trade jobs), get a degree with a good chance of earning you a good salary out of college (do the internet searches required, don't trust a school career counselor), and/or get married or live with roommates.

MrOracle · Accepted Answer

1. Many people in that age range are in college. Probably half of them shouldn't be, given that they are likely taking out sizable student loans but aren't pursuing a degree that is likely to land them a good paying job. People have been taught that they must go to college, no matter what, and as long as they do, it doesn't matter what they study. That's completely divorced from the real world, but it has made colleges wealthy.

2. 60 years ago, not only were there half as many people in the US (or the world), but only half of those people worked outside the home (overwhelmingly men). The reason J. P. Morgan funded campaigns for women to work outside the home was to dilute the labor market, driving down wages by increasing the supply of workers, so today it takes 2 people to earn the equivalent of what a single person earned 60 years ago.

3. In the past, nearly everyone was married, which meant you needed half as much housing per population. Today, everyone is single, which doubles the need for housing, plus everyone feels they deserve what would have been luxury housing 60 years ago.

4. vGo back and watch The Honeymooners with Jackie Gleason, and look at the apartment they lived in as a newlywed working class couple. Most people today would think such an apartment is WAY beneath them. That's yet another reason housing costs are so high.

5. Inflation. It was bad enough at 4% under Trump and Obama, but Sleepy Joe has the real-world inflation at 10%. I highly doubt most people have been getting 10% annual raises, right?

6. Unchecked illegal immigration. The US has added 6 million or more illegal immigrants under Biden, which dives up housing, utilities, and food prices, depresses the labor market, decimates entry-level jobs, increases crime, vandalism, insurance rates, policing costs, etc. And that's not counting the billions of tax dollars that pay to house and feed them.

So many people vote against their own best interests because they are either emotionally manipulated or shamed into doing so, and by the time they figure out the consequences of that, it's too late - the damage is already done and the bill has to be paid for by increasing taxes.

Rosexøxø · Accepted Answer

It’s honestly a variety of reasons…

but the biggest thing is government protocols. Second includes parents not giving some advice and paths of suggestion/ being honest of what their kids will need to do in their future or signing their kids up for certain actives/sports where they can learn talented skills OR hirable skills.

Either become a celebrity or a well paid worker, but instead parents neglect this, avoid it, aren’t aware of it, and they essentially can birth and raise kids who are economically useless and socially unwanted until they become wanted by the law POSSIBLY, and wanted by scammers and selfish salespeople.

The government/ companies’ economy works in a way to keep it going/functioning, but doesn’t exactly work to benefit the actual workers. At least not all of them.

Actually I think it mostly benefits the celebrities, and barely the upper class section of workers who obtained their wealth by passing down, and some by luck back in the days when you could you know…

just WORK HARD and make an empire happen and come of it.

SphynxUK · Accepted Answer

I’m in the UK. It’s incredibly hard for young people to buy, and renting is too expensive. Both my children are at home at the moment! One’s relationship ended so had to move out of their rented accommodation and the other had decided to quit a good job to travel the world. They’re temporary here while they build up some more savings before they move across the country to settle. It’s not an ideal situation for any of us, but it’ll have to do for now. I’ll be downsizing next so they won’t have the option to both be here in the future.

godfatherfan · Answer

None of your options work. Where is the "Millenial / Gen Z lazy fonkers" option? Yes, there are some people that have something happen and have to stay at home. There are others, like myself, who have parents that have kids working and saving for things like houses or condo's, or going to school.

With the exception of the time In the military, I stayed at my parents house until I was 25 and I got married. While my oldest, who just turned 29 yesterday, has lived with me on 2 occasions (18 months and around 9 months), he has been on his own since he was 18. My other 2 boys live with me. I like having them here so I am not in a hurry for them to leave. My middle son is working on his masters degree while saving for a house. He is 25 and will probably be here another 2 years. My youngest is 23 and still finding what he wants to do. But he works full time and sometimes takes courses for plumbing. They do not pay rent. They do not pay for food. I would never ever charge my kids for any of that. But if they were just laying around the house, not working or constantly quitting jobs because "the boss actually wanted me to work", that would not fly. I almost kicked my oldest out of the house when he tried to pull that crap. When I gave him an ultimatum, it turned his life around and I have never had to worry about him since.

My issue is those kids that live with parents, not working or working part time. They don't go to school. They just complain how it is society that is against them. Probably coming up with these nonsense pronouns to make themself feel special. Sorry, nope. Get out there and work. Go to school. Don't tell me you can't afford it. There are ways. I don't even mean go to college. College has become overpriced and isn't really the best option for many people. But there are trade schools that are a fraction of the price of college and they will give you a great career. These other people want to complain and want us to give them $15 an hour for minimum wage. Bullshiz. Minimum wage is not meant to be a living wage. It is meant to get you by while you go to school to advance yourself. Stop thinking people owe you.

V_Injector · Answer

I picked societal chaos... and for me, that includes bad jobs. Your basic bitch jobs you'd start out in are taken now by illegal immigrants... Oh go to college they say, and then you'll get conned into debt and shit out with a bullshit degree and still be a barista or serving people hamburgers.

Look, you have a chance if you do tech or some shit on the genius level of most humans. All the work hard jobs are taken now. Learn to speak Spanish and get a food service job... or be like me and join the military and come out of it with sleeping problems that will last for life. I have 3 degrees and none of them are worth shit. Look, you don't want to end up like me... learn to speak Spanish. Don't go to college and get a trade job that's too complicated for Gonzales to figure out how to do.

If you have parents that will let you live with them. Take advantage of that until Biden is out of office. You're not going to go anywhere right now no matter how hard you try. You're either there already or you're not. Everything is at a stand still.

bobby_bush_eater · Answer

It really depends where you live and what you do but there's also a massive amount of poor decision making that is encouraged and perpetuates the problem... College.

College just gatekeeps jobs in most circumstances and should not be 4 years as you could learn the application far faster on the job itself.

Not only does it inhibit your ability to earn but puts many people in debt (all private schools are a scam and cost so much more). So by the time you're 22-24 you now have a piece of paper saying go compete for your real job now.

If the salary is high you probably will not get it or you live in HCOL. Now by the time you have enough money to move out and buy something you're probably close to 30.

Pair this with the encouraged frivolous spending and low savings during your "college experience" and most people have bad habits debt and no money after college.

It absolutely shouldn't be praised or encouraged traditionally. More people should join the military (many states have free college for the national guard), or Community college, or any other non traditional way to get your diploma but not wait around for 4 years.

Fromdusktilldawn · Answer

See my country Luxemburg for example. We got some of the highest housing prices in the world. A medium to small sized house in a town is normally around 1 million euros. Banks dont give out credits if you dont have at least 600k ready (proportionally). Even appartments are around 600k.

Now young people go to school till 18-20, then university or other education till 24-27. During that time basically no money is made, all goes into rent for a student accomodation, living etc. Then in they look for a job and maybe get a job that pays good and they can start to rent a small appartment... or stay at home and wait till they got enough money. Now if you're single its much harder as well to be able to afford a house. We ain't in the 50s anymore, finding a job is hard and even with a middle class salary single, you'd need 30 years of work till you can afford a house here.

That societal pressure to kick the kids out once they are 18 and finish school is simply unrealistic, would even be considered a crime here if I'd guess.

Soteris · Answer

Because it is just so much harder to move out today than for example 50 years ago. Jobs pay less, especially entry level jobs. Apartments and houses cost more. You are expected to learn much more than before in school such as getting a higher education where as in the 1940's you would be fine with the bare minimum which both means it takes longer to complete the process of education and it costs more.. waaaay more considering the increase in tuition and study equipment costs.

If you compare the situation of someone completing their education in 1940 and today then the one in 1940 is much younger, has barely any debt if at all, can easily get a high paying job and has many affordable options for housing and apartments. The difference is simply night and day.

Anonymous · Answer

So funny that every point here is a negative about people living at home. But if a boomer brought up why most adults aren’t home owners, I’m sure you’d be able to bring a plausible argument. Although I pay rent on my own apartment, I see no issue with younger people living at home. You’d rather shell out $1,600 in rent per month, be living paycheck to paycheck just to say you live alone, vs. set yourself up for success by staying with your parents rent free (or deeply discounted) so that you can get a step up in life?
I remember when I was 21 I stayed with my mom for a year. She cooked, I didn’t have a car and she never charged me rent. I saved $10,000 in 3 months doing that and if I had stayed longer I would have saved even more.

Infinity_Soup · Answer

Shocker but most people haven't moved out of their house unless their parents help them pay for it.

When covid happened, everyone around 18 -20 got locked down in their parents house right after graduation. If they managed to get a job then they probably had to wait until after lockdown.
After doing this for a year most kids didn't have enough money to do anything.

Afterwords, the housing prices have just been rising. I live in Tampa, which is like one of the worst places to find a place to live.

This is not to mention those going to college in their hometown. It just doesn't make sense to move if you are paying for your education when you could save the money to live at home.

I've only recently moved out and tbh, if my situation with my parents wasn't what it is I would've preferred to save the money until I finished college at least. I'm working 40 hours a week to pay rent and go to college, with very minimal savings.

RingOfFire · Answer

None of the above. It's because they are voting for the wrong people.

DextroShade · Answer

Many factors play a role here: Their parents celebrated mediocrity by giving out participation trophies, spoiled them, and did not prepare them for the real world Feminism has flooded the labor market for all fields except skilled trades with women who should be at home which has driven down wages for everyone Globalists have shipped many manufacturing jobs to China and other 3rd world shithole countries with slave labor  Globalists imported cheap foreign labor for both skilled (H1b) and unskilled (illegals) jobs, further driving down wages Globalists raised interest rates for mortgages and allowed hostile foreign nations (China) and predatory private equity firms to buy housing, which makes it unaffordable for most.

Dinklex3 · Answer

I didn’t move out of my parents house until I was 24, lol.

I was still in school and there was no reason for me to move out. My parents felt the same. I don't know why people think kids should move out as soon they turn 18. I guess my family’s way of thinking is a bit different.

Lionman95 · Answer

Living at home is comfortable since there are many things you don't have to worry about, also sometimes it's better to stay at home to learn certain skills so that one can later move out and avoid problems like poverty since you're not broke all the time.

RSav4013 · Answer

Either they're smart and preparing themselves for a worse economy than their parents had... or the more likely option, they are unmotivated, entitled and think that they deserve to be handed a high level management position with little to no prior experience

HelpfulWoman · Answer

*a unhelpful economy when it comes to buying/renting homes

sheikalana · Answer

I guess people in that age group are not career driven. They're not motivated to pursuit something or they think money just falls from trees without them doing anything. They get demotivated when you don't earn a certain amount but the truth is your first years of employment are probably going to be very sh*tty, you'll be underpaid and overworked but that's life it is what it is. Most of us started from the bottom and now we are where we are because of our hard work.

Anonymous · Answer

Wages have failed to rise with inflation or the cost of living.

Effectively wages have been stagnant for decades.

Take 1990. Average wage 12,500.

Average house price, 48,000

That's equivalent to 4 years salary.

Today the median wage is 60,000

And the median house price is 420,000

You do the math.

JayBones · Answer

The USD ponzie is coming to an end. The being power is down almost 100% and the theft through organized inflation inflated all asset classes. Especially real estate. This may change in a couple weeks when the banks start failing. Real-estate will become cheap, but if you don't have any gold or Bitcoin it won't matter because you won't have anything homeowners would trade for.

Levin · Answer

It is what it is, but people are seldom independent anyway. You can be reliant on university loans to pay for your accomodation. Or benefits. Or having to live with 3 other people. Or living with your partner which makes bills a lot cheaper.

coachTanthony · Answer

they fell into the trap of the economic dream. Most people can't afford to buy a house or a car these days.

4ngelic · Answer

i'm broke. so instead living in a dingy flat with 6 roomates, rather live in a nice house that i dont pay for that also comes with free food & stuff

wiltingrosepetal · Answer

The fact that money or housing crisises weren't any of the poll results 💀

RebelinSteel · Answer

House prices are a huge reason, also going to uni local to where your parents live saves cash and helps reduce student debt. If a house is say £300k you need about 10% deposit. All that depends on circumstances it may be a larger %.

aceleon · Answer

i don't have a job and even if i did i neither want to waste all my money on bills nor living alone, why would i wanna stay alone? and i absolutly have no interest in relationships so no need for a house, at least in the next 10 years or so.

OlderAndWiser · Answer

Kids get useless degrees, have no desire to establish independence, are afraid of being on their own, and the parents have tolerated or encouraged these problems.

WhitneySnow · Answer

Because they’re still in college and they don’t live in a dorm. Or maybe the person who took that survey did it in the summer when everyone’s home from school.

Fireguy17 · Answer

they lack the drive to get out of thier house.
It is too easy to come up with excuse after excuse.
And parents put up with it.
Back in the day you were pretty much shown the door and it was good luck, so you did what you had to do.

Drumlin2001 · Answer

Main issue in UK is a lack of housing in the South, and lack of jobs in the North. Means houses are unaffordable for different reasons but its difficult for young people these days to get in the property ladder

Anonymous · Answer

Housing is unaffordable due to regulations and unskilled labor is forced to compete with the entire world of similarly unskilled labor due to immigration and free trade deals with poor countries.

Anonymous · Answer

have... have you not see the economy, housing prices, rents, groceries, gas, utilities... ?

Anonymous · Answer

Its common in my culture. Families tend to stick together and live together. Better to have a bigger home where there's plenty for everyone. Allows us to be there for our parents as they age. A good healthy loving environment for the future generation. Way better than the parents ending up in an old age home. Also a lot better than having a stranger to babysit the kids, the parents will happily look after their grandkids.

exitseven · Answer

The cost of houses is very expensive and mortgage rates have more than doubled over the last 3 years. Taxes have risen and so has the price of everything else.

genericname85 · Answer

because the cost of living was rarely as high as it is now. not speaking about "absolute cost" but cost relative to income by age since inflation has gone crazy over the last decades.

TheSpaceGnome · Answer

I prefer the "multigenerational household" model of living. I think its stupid that everyone wants to buy their own house instead of passing it down/sharing with to each generation.

MemeSupreme · Answer

how are you that old like you sound like a boomer

OddBeMe · Answer

I don’t know honestly. There’s a job market for the educated.  Rent is going up. But it’s still pretty easy to buy a condo. I’ve done it several times.

JacobJordan · Answer

Because America is doing such a good economic job 🤣 no really because jobs refuse to pay people a living wage

JHAYES317 · Answer

Economy sucks. Also a majority of young men are unintentionally single these days so it’s harder to afford rent on a single income

Anonymous · Answer

18? Heck I was in my senior year in high school at 18. I think most are at home at that age.

18-24? I'm way past that and still living at home with my parents. No opportunities of any kind, nothing. Jesus is coming, repent people.

Nikki1989 · Answer

It could any of the above or all of them.

LiamJHayden · Answer

In California since 2000 housing costs have risen eight times faster than incomes. Maybe that has something to do with it, at least in some areas.

tzdc21 · Answer

Mostly because it's become so ridiculously expensive to get a place of your own nowadays.

BCRanger10 · Answer

Probably a combination of anxiety, cost of living, lack of direction, and comfort.

handsomelad70 · Answer

Try crazy expensive housing, making it EXTREMELY hard for young folk to become first-time home owners.

Anonymous · Answer

No idea. Either get out and get a fucking job and some roommates, or go to college, bust your ass doing a NON-BULLSHIT major, and then get a job and some roommates. No excuse to living at home after high school.

Hispanic-Cool-Guy · Answer

It's much cheaper to stay at home than living outside of it. Things are truly expensive in particular for people at the bottom financially.

nawtee_me · Answer

My kids live with me and it helps with my bills. Mortgage, gas, water, electricity, sewer, garbage pickup, food tends to need more than one income these days….

goaded · Answer

50 years ago there were half as many people in the world. There aren't twice as many homes.

FunkyMonkee · Answer

With Joey in charge, I can't say as I blame them!!

Kykiono1 · Answer

Nothing wrong with it, cost of living is expensive

shortster · Answer

It is not uncommon for kids to live with their parents until their mid twenties. Some societies will have three generations living in the same house.

Anonymous · Answer

Our economy has crashed so they have no other choice.

Mangospacho · Answer

Housing prices, food prices, job market, laziness, bad parenting, national debt, etc.

jahaims · Answer

Bad economy, culture, parenting and societal values

noohair · Answer

There is no middle class anymore. Covid made the rich 30% richer and the poor 30% poorer.

Slim57 · Answer

Because rent is expensive and jobs around aren't paying well

Anonymous · Answer

Overpopulation, underbuilding of houses and no real money in the economy anymore

Unit1 · Answer

Money

dreamstar72 · Answer

I think it is more of an entitlement issue.

itsclearlynicholas · Answer

Societal chaos (Lol I blame capitalism lol).

andreasderjuengere · Answer

Those who do are not necessarily "stuck" :)

kitty71 · Answer

You forgot to mention high prices in rent

Why are half of adults 18-24 stuck living with their parents?

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Why are half of adults 18-24 stuck living with their parents?

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