More than 25 million young adults now live at home as affordability worsens
TheGrio...
Experts say soaring rents, home prices and everyday costs are making independent living harder to afford.
The financial pressures facing younger Americans are reshaping living arrangements across the country, with a record number of adults under 35 now living with their parents, according to new housing data.
A recent Realtor.com analysis, highlighted by CBS News, found that 25.2 million Americans under the age of 35 lived with their parents in 2025, the highest figure on record. The total also surpasses levels seen during the COVID-19 pandemic, underscoring how affordability challenges continue to affect younger generations even as the economy has largely reopened.
The trend isn’t limited to unemployed adults. CBS News, citing Realtor.com’s findings, reported that roughly 70% of adults between the ages of 25 and 34 who live with their parents are employed, suggesting that having a job alone is no longer enough to comfortably afford independent housing in many parts of the country.
High rents, elevated home prices, mortgage rates and everyday living expenses are all contributing to the shift.
One example featured by CBS News is Karleigh Gaudreau, a 34-year-old business coach and content creator who moved back in with her parents after ending a relationship. Although she earns about $60,000 annually, she said covering rent, student loan payments and other monthly expenses on a single income became unrealistic.
Her experience reflects a broader affordability problem affecting many working adults.
Housing experts say the issue extends beyond home prices alone. Susan Wachter, a professor of real estate at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business, told CBS News that the affordability crisis includes rising mortgage costs, higher living expenses and broader financial pressures facing households.
The findings also align with recent housing research showing that homeownership remains out of reach for many first-time buyers. CBS News referenced a LendingTree analysis indicating that fewer than four in 10 non-homeowner households can afford a typical starter home in today’s market.
For some families, moving back home has become a financial strategy rather than a setback. Gaudreau said she plans to use the money she’s saving on rent to return to independent living later this year.
As housing affordability continues to challenge younger Americans, experts say multigenerational living is increasingly becoming an economic necessity rather than a temporary life stage, reflecting the growing gap between wages and the rising cost of living.