Okay, be honest. Have you mentally started converting your kid’s bedroom into a home office — only to wonder if they’ll actually ever move out? You’re not imagining the trend. It turns out, a whole lot of young adults are still calling mom and dad’s place home.

A new report analyzed U.S. Census Bureau data and found that nearly a third — about 32.5% — of adults ages 18 to 34 lived with their parents in 2024, up from 31.8% the year before. Eye on Housing That’s roughly 1 in 3 young adults still sleeping under the same roof as their parents.

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Wait — Wasn’t This Always Kind of the Norm?

Not exactly. The trend has been rising since 2000, when only about 12% of adults ages 25 to 34 lived with their parents. Mappr For a little more historical context, back in 1960, only about 22% of young adults lived at home. So yeah — this is genuinely new territory.

The numbers spiked even higher during the COVID-19 pandemic, when jobs vanished overnight and people scrambled back to wherever felt safe and affordable. The post-pandemic trend of young adults moving out has since slowed, thanks to elevated mortgage rates and some of the worst rental affordability conditions on record. NAHB

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So… Why Aren’t They Leaving?

You probably already know the answer: money.

Over the past decade, urban rents have climbed about 4% per year, while wages for full-time workers have increased by only 0.6% annually. Fortune Do that math and it’s no wonder young adults are choosing a free (or cheap) room at home over a studio apartment that costs more than a car payment.

The median house price in the U.S. has also risen about 90% in just 10 years Fortune — making homeownership feel like a pipe dream for a lot of folks in their 20s and early 30s.

On the flip side? Living at home saves young adults roughly $13,000 per year, according to a Federal Reserve report Mappr — which can make a real dent in student loans or a future down payment.

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Which States Have the Most (and Fewest) Basement-Dwellers?

Geography plays a big role here. Over 40% of young adults ages 18 to 34 lived in parental homes in New Jersey (44%) and Connecticut (41%), with California not far behind at 39%. Eye on Housing The common thread? The elevated shares in high-cost coastal areas underscore the role of housing affordability — states where renters pay 30% or more of their income on housing tend to have the highest rates of young adults living with parents. Eye on Housing

On the other end of the spectrum, North Dakota records the nation’s lowest share at just 12%, with South Dakota at 18%. Eye on Housing Wide open spaces and a lower cost of living make it a whole lot easier to fly the nest in the Midwest and Great Plains.

Indiana sits in a pretty reasonable middle ground — good news if you’re raising kids here in Michiana and quietly hoping they’ll eventually get their own place! 😄

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What Does This Mean for Our Kids?

Here’s where it gets personal. As working moms and dads, we’re raising the next generation of young adults. The kids we’re packing lunches for right now are the ones who’ll be navigating this economy in 10 to 15 years.

Back in 1975, the most common path for young adults was to move out, get a job, get married, and have kids — that described about 45% of young adults at the time. By 2024, the most common experience was simply being in the labor force and living independently — without marriage or children — describing about 28% of young adults. U.S. Census Bureau The “traditional” path has shifted dramatically.

That doesn’t mean things are hopeless — it just means the playbook has changed.

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The Silver Lining? It’s Not All Bad.

Yes, there are trade-offs. Living at home can make it harder to meet new people and may contribute to young adults marrying and having children later in life. Fortune But for many families, multi-generational living is actually bringing people closer — shared meals, built-in babysitters (hey, grandma!), and a chance to rebuild savings before adulting in full force.

The real issue, experts say, isn’t the kids — it’s the housing market. Making it easier to build new homes in places where people want to live and work could go a long way in easing these pressures. Fortune

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Final Thought

So the next time you see a 28-year-old still living with their parents, maybe cut them a little slack. This generation is dealing with costs and conditions that are genuinely different from what most of us faced. And honestly? If it means they’re saving up, staying close to family, and building a more stable foundation — that’s not the worst thing in the world.

Now if they’re just playing video games in their childhood bedroom at 30 with zero plans… that might be a different conversation. 😂

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Sources: FinanceBuzz | Eye on Housing / NAHB | Mappr | Fortune | U.S. Census Bureau