In part due to evolving familial structures and financial pragmatism, young adults are choosing to live with family members far longer than previous generations. According to an analysis of IPUMS data by RentCafe, 20% of millennials and 68% of Gen Z individuals still live with other family members.
The 14 million millennials and 23 million Gen Z individuals sharing a household with at least one family member compares with just 8 million Gen X individuals. Additionally, millennial and Gen Z individuals have expressed that generational living is not a short-term solution: 47% of millennials and 41% of Gen Z individuals expect to continue sharing their home with someone for at least another two years, according to a RentCafe survey. Over 10% of millennials expect to live in a shared household for at least 10 years.
The trend of living with parents or in a shared household with family members is becoming increasingly common among younger individuals: 20% of millennials reported living in multigenerational homes at age 34, a higher share than Gen X individuals and baby boomers. The appeal of living in a parental home is varied, from saving money on expenses and housing costs to access to child care.
According to an analysis by RentCafe, multigenerational households are most common on the West Coast. In Western metros, such as major California markets, the cost of living is likely the primary deterrent for individuals moving out on their own. Out of the approximately 3 million millennials in Los Angeles, 35% live with family members. In addition, over 80% of Gen Z individuals in Los Angeles live with family members. Riverside, California, also ranks highly for the share of millennials and Gen Z individuals in multigenerational living situations.
Raleigh, North Carolina; New York; Providence, Rhode Island; and Washington, D.C., are also metros with a high share of millennials and Gen Z individuals living with family members.
In Midwestern and Southeastern markets, such as Cincinnati; Nashville, Tennessee; Milwaukee; Memphis, Tennessee; St. Louis; and Jacksonville, Florida, the share of millennials and Gen Z individuals living at home has decreased compared with 2018. The lower cost of living in such metros is a likely factor behind individuals “flying the nest” and not living with parents.
For the study, RentCafe analyzed the number of individuals living in multigenerational households across 260 metro areas with data from IPUMS CPS 2022 and 2018 estimates. Multigenerational households were defined as those including any family members other than the householder and their parent, such as parents, grandparents, roommates, other relatives, or adult children.
