Sorry, parents! Your grown-up kids don't want to leave the family home in these sun-soaked US cities
An average of 11.8% of working adults still live with their parents, a new study by LendingTree found. The analysis of 50 major US metros revealed where adult children are less likely to leave the nest. Sunny — and expensive — cities in California and Florida stood out.
Matt Schulz, LendingTree's chief consumer finance analyst, told The Post that the results were a clear 'sign of the times.'
'In previous generations, moving back in with mom and dad might have been a sign of defeat or failure, but it's not really seen that way now,' Schulz said. 'People are much more practical, and people see the value in spending a little time with their parents.'
7 Nearly 12% of US adults in major metros still live with mom and dad.
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7 You won't find an abundance of empty nesters in Riverside, California. More than a fifth of working adults there reside with their parents.
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7 Miami, known for beautiful weather and high housing costs, also made the list.
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More than one in five working adults in Riverside, Calif. live with their parents, according to the study. Nearby Los Angeles is a close second at 20% of adults, followed by Miami at 19.8%.
The data, drawn from the 2018 and 2023 US Census Bureau American Community Surveys, reveal a mixture of economic motivators for adults between the ages of 25 to 40 to stay at home.
In Riverside, a prohibitively high cost of living likely motivates adults to stay under their parents' roof and save, Schulz said. Meanwhile, in cities like Detroit, the 15.6% of grown-ups still living with their parents may feel the pressures of low wages and limited job opportunities.
On the flip side, metros with fewer pricing extremes and steadily increasing housing supply allow for more empty nesters, and kids with their own places. Hint: They're the places that grew most during COVID-19.
7 Austin's recent development boom gives adult children plenty of housing options away from home.
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7 The relatively low cost of living and ample job opportunities found in Raleigh, NC make it easy to hand the house key back to the folks.
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Austin, Texas; Raleigh, NC; and Denver have the lowest rates of adults living at home, ranging between 5.8% in Austin to 7% in Denver. Schulz attributed the highly independent adult populations of these cities to booming development and high purchasing power.
'It's really hard to overstate the importance of cost of living in terms of where people live,' Schulz said. 'And also having that room to grow.'
Rates of parent-adult child cohabitation actually fell 8.3% between the study's range of 2018 and 2023. Only 13 metros saw increases, with a 22.1% increase in Las Vegas leading the charge.
7 At-home adult children aren't all basement-dwelling deadbeats.
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'One really significant thing that happened was the growth of remote work,' Schulz said. 'Maybe people were able to move someplace a little cheaper, and that might have afforded them the ability to move out.'
The nearly 12% of working American adults who live with mom and dad are no basement-dwelling deadbeats. One third of them hold a bachelor's degree or higher, according to the analysis. They tend to earn less than their more independent peers — a good reason to stay home and save up.
After all, mom's cooking isn't the only reason to keep bunking in your childhood bed. Working adults living at home, on average, would need to allocate more than 40% of their monthly income to rent a one-bedroom apartment, according to the study. That number rises all the way up to 54.3% in Tampa.
7 Experts advise working adults to take advantage of mom and dad's generosity, while you're still welcome.
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At the end of the day, living with one's folks can provide greater financial security and a serious savings boost, but it's not always ideal. Schulz said the ultimate goal for at-home adults should be to put away as much money as they possibly can to position themselves for the best possible flight from the nest.
'It is really important that people take advantage of the time they have living with their parents, financially,' Schulz said. 'But it's also important to not get so comfortable and settled that they end up overstaying their welcome.' As much as your parents love you, they probably don't necessarily want you to be 50 years old and still having to live with them.'
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New York Post
2 hours ago
- New York Post
These die-hard New Yorkers dedicate their lives to showing tourists the best of the Big Apple — and they have no plans to stop
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Tamara Beckwith Volini joked to The Post that his job is just a lot of staring — which came in handy when he was working on Sept. 11, 2001, and saw billowing smoke. He watched as the second plane crashed into the South Tower. He remembers watching as crowds rushed to the water's edge, trying to escape the horrific scene. The crew boarded them and headed across the Hudson River to New Jersey. He commanded several trips, and in the end, Circle Line Cruises alone carried about 40,000 to 50,000 people to safety, according to Violini. 28 Circle Line Cruises alone carried about 40,000 to 50,000 people to safety on Sept. 11, 2001, according to Violini. AP 28 The seasoned captain watched as the second plane crashed into the South Tower before springing into action. Tamara Beckwith It was just another reminder of how supportive the New York community can be. 'Every boat came to the shore to help out,' Voilini recalled. 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New York Post
2 hours ago
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New York Post
20 hours ago
- New York Post
OPM keen on using AI to increase ‘efficiency' of jobs — as federal agency cuts staff by one-third
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