I know a few people that still live with their parents and it isn't by choice. Unfortunately under our current financial climate, lack of affordable rentals, high unemployment rates and difficult housing market doesn't make it a choice for most people staying at home longer. I moved out at 18 but had to move back in with my parents at 21 with my partner and young daughter for about a year because of issues finding an affordable rental after the landlords wouldn't renew the lease because they had family that they wanted to move in. In many countries it is completely normal for families to live under the same roof as each other all their lives. Whatever works for some families obviously don't work for others.

In the US, you're shamed for living with your parents after 19.

Those people don't “choose“ to mive out of their childhood home so late. They can't afford to move out sooner. Notice how the countries that were hit hardest by recession have the highest ages for children moving out.

I think it's natural for extended families to live together in the same house (provided it's big enough; my dad's family have a house where every family unit have their own apartment). The nuclear family is a recent thing. Not only does it make it harder for families to get by (harder to raise kids with just two parents there and it's harder for old people as well), but it benefits businesses greatly, because they can sell more stuff to more households.

Most earnings in my country is about 650$ monthly, 2 rooms flat costs about 100 000 $ in the city. renting this one costs 400 for renting, must add also payment for utilities for this sum. Maybe that's why... And stories like you have to help your parents to pay for a flat because they have problems with work and couldn't affort their place if not your contributions (my friend), or you pay your unresponsible parent debts (fathers for 15 years after completing my high school)) and mum is in such depression that she cannot be left alone, later she also is starting to show an early onset of Alzheimer's (that is about me)... For some ppl I am a looser.

How on earth could there be any grandchildren if they live with family???? As quietly as possible? F that!

I am Polish and still live with my Momma xD hahaha and I am not planning to move out :)

most of this is purely cultural depending on the country, and financial, and there's literally nothing wrong with it, everyone has a different situation.

Does anyone else think that 18-34 is an awfully large span? It covers everything from college to mid career.

I guess it also depends on the housing market. So many investors buying up homes and apartment buildings and pricing young people out of the housing market. Hell, pricing anyone not a millionaire out of the housing market. Especially in cities.

I'm 28 years old, work two jobs and I'm also in school. I still live with my mother out of necessity. My monthly income with both jobs wouldnt even cover the cost to rent an apartment, let alone pay for the utilities, like electricity and heating. Trust me, it's not by choice that I have to live with my mother. I love my Mom, but I do want that independence. It is also the fact that if I move out, she'll be all alone. I dont want to leave her by her self.

While me and my oldest daughter live in the same house people assume that she lives with me. Her name is on the lease and she covers her portion while me and my wife cover ours. We live in California and most of us know the high cost to live here. She moved out for a year after my granddaughter was born and returned due to the rent increases beyond what her salary would cover. She has thought about moving to an area cheaper and I have discouraged her. While it may put her under her own roof, it also means she could take a cut in her income since those areas dont usually offer competitive pay. Child care is expensive and we help her along with my granddaughters dads family when she is working or has to travel for work. The situation is not ideal for everyone but it allows her to be independent financially. One day I know she will be ready to go out on her own. Just because someone lives under the same roof as their parents it does mean they are bums with no direction in life.

I believe it's important to be independent and experience life outside of your immediate family.

The reason boys are staying at home with parents in the states longer is because they are not being pushed into becoming adults with adult expectations. Moms are all too happy to take care of their needs and eventually they become undatable. Girls have always taken on those adult responsibilities and now they feel less pressure from society to marry and encouraged to go to school, they are leaving more and developing further independence which leads to no woman wanting to date or take care of a man-child. This is the experience in my area anyways. I believe there is some universality to it in most of the US

I left at 17 to go to college and never came back to the nest. I'm 35 and this year we built our first house. Both me and my sister have built our houses just a few streets away from our parents. We are independent but still want to be close, haha!

A while ago I watching a zoo programme that featured Rhino's. The zookeeper was saying how the mother was getting 'fed up' with her daughter probably because in the wild the daughter would have left the home by now. "I know just how she feels!"

I'm from London, England - I had plans to move out of my parents house when I was 18yrs old, that didn't happen because I live at home when I went to university and I've never had enough money to get my own place. I used to feel bad that I can't afford my own place by most of my uncles / aunts stayed with their parents until they were in their late 20's / early 30's. So not much has changed really LOL

Hahahah as Croatian I can say what a loosers people are. Coming from single parent home and social housing, at age of 27 I lived in Ireland without anyone's help I saved money, working 60-72 hours per week, going to gym, studying with free government education I personally found, renovated my moms house, now saving for my own, while finishing IT courses, making new friends from foreign countries. But I guess its easier to be victim of economy than do what I do.

Youngest daughter moved out when she was 16.

Very informative article! Your way of explaining things is phenomenal. You are doing great work. It is quite a difficult task to find a reliable moving company especially when you have thousands of options.

Denmark here. I moved out just after turning 17. I could have stayed till I was 18 if I wanted, then my mom would have wanted me to move. Not that we didn't get along or anything, but I was just expected to be an adult at 18 and take care of myself and not burden my parents anymore. I was lucky to find a tiny affordable studio at 17, and I couldn't wait to get out and to freedom and independence. But I know it's a lot easier for young people to live alone in countries like mine, where education is not only free, we are even paid to study. Otherwise it would definitely have been a lot harder..

"....gigantic harpy eagles that live in rainforests" made me laugh. Painfully true.

The economy is definitely a factor. Our daughter can't afford to even rent in our area, let alone get a mortgage. Maybe, if she finds a well off partner, she might be able to then. So maybe we'll end up building her the Millenial equivalent of a granny flat in the garden!

These stats are ...odd. The difference between 18 -34 is SIXTEEN years. Almost makes the stats useless imho. It is a huge difference.

Article doesn't seem all that complete : nothing about high rental prices (not everyone starts by buying a house) or difficulties finding employment. Those play a large role in countries where there's no recent cultural tradition of generational homes.

So is Korea. Even though I got a job, I feel like I'm living with him to save a lot of money. That's what I do in Korea a lot.

18 and gone! Me, then my kid, then my grandkids from their parents.

Afternoon of my 18 bday, I did not get along with my mum back then.

Wow!

You're right on the point Jonas ! The up side is that parents are way more tolerant here, and we are almost clear of homeless people. Greetings from Macedonia :)

Canada-Vancouver here. I first moved out when I was 19. It was a big struggle. Moved out with my bf. Lucky to have $25 at end of month in the beginning. Went to college, got a good job with benefits, husband moved up in his company and we bought a home, but at age 34 I moved back in with my parents, husband and 2 kids to save for a home. Now at age 37 we've just bought a large townhouse. I guess it depends where you live and cost of housing. Here it is absolutely ridiculously over priced

I can't speak for the rest of the U.S, but as CA has 50% of the United States housing crisis...yeah, a lot of families decide to stay together. It's tough out here and the transplant streaming in helping to hike up rent does not help.

What about India?