Katharina Buczek
U.S. Census Bureau data from 2021 revealed that one out of three U.S. adults between the ages of 18 and 34 live at home with their parents.
Yet, data from a Pew Research Center survey that same year showed that Americans were more likely to view young adults still living at home as a bad thing for society.
This discrepancy in the U.S. is puzzling and does not align with living arrangement norms throughout much of Europe.
In fact, according to Eurostat, more than 33% of young adults ages 18 to 34 still lived with their parents in 2021– making the likelihood even greater in much of Europe.
In Croatia, for instance, seven in ten– or 77%– of young adults lived with their parents in 2021. Greece and Portugal followed close behind at 73% and 72%, respectively. Finally, in Italy, 71% of young adults still lived at home.
Now, some Scandinavian countries, including Finland, Sweden, and Denmark, were on the opposite end of the spectrum– with less than one-in-five young adults living with their parents.
Nonetheless, countries in both southern and eastern Europe were found to have higher rates of young adults living at home than in northern and western European countries.
This contrast may partly stem from differing cultural factors, including family ties and societal norms. Additionally, real estate markets and welfare systems may also play a role.
In both the U.S. and Europe, however, young men are more likely to live in their parent’s homes than young women.
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