You’d need to be living under a rock not to know how expensive housing has been recently. And, if you are living under a rock, it’s probably due to the outrageous cost of an actual home! And now, due to housing costs, young adults are either not moving out of their parents’ homes or have moved back indefinitely.

About one in three young adults, ages 18-34, currently lives at home with their parents. The cost of living, student and medical debt, and a poor job market all factor into the decision not to move out. That said, there are some states with much higher numbers of multi-generational homes, and a few of them are not the states you’d expect.

The Top 5

According to Finance Buzz and Visual Capitalist, the state with the highest percentage of adults still living with their parents is New Jersey. 44% of New Jersey adults, or close to half the population of people ages 18 to 34, do not live independently. And New Jersey isn’t alone in those high numbers. In fact, four of the top five states with adults living in their parents’ homes are on the East Coast.

In second place, Connecticut has 41% of adults who “failed to launch.” Maryland comes in fourth with 38.5%, and Delaware takes fifth with 37%. The only West Coast state to make the top five is California. The Golden State takes the third highest with 39% of young adults staying at home.

Reasons For Staying At Home

It might be surprising that New Jersey outranks New York (35%), when New York is known for its high cost of living. People will often say that New Jersey is cheaper in comparison. So, why are so many more adults still living at home in New Jersey? While New York has rural and suburban areas, New Jersey is more densely populated, causing the housing prices to skyrocket.

The cost of living for each of the top five states is higher than the national average. Housing prices across the country have hit an all-time high, with the average homeowner age jumping to 59. Only 15 years ago, that average was 39 years. Rent isn’t much better, averaging $1,698 per month. Add in a job market that hits college graduates significantly harder, and is comparable to the pandemic in unemployment rates. It’s no wonder more adults continue living with their parents.

A First World Problem

If you include US territories, Puerto Rico actually outnumbers New Jersey with 57.5% of adults still living at home. But we should also consider that multi-generational homes are just part of the culture in Puerto Rico. The US is actually the odd one out, considering how many countries have multi-generational living as a standard part of life.

Living together in a multi-generational home not only helps with costs, but it also provides a support system. Family members work together and help each other. Your first community is your extended family, all living under one roof. Instead of looking at the rising rates of adults living with their parents in the US with trepidation, maybe it’s time we see things through a cultural lens. The culture in the US is shifting to align with what works best for families, meaning more adults choose to stay in their parents’ homes.

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