Here's where grown-up kids are most likely to live with their parents

New data is examining where working adults live with their parents, in an effort to understand living arrangements.

In its latest analysis, LendingTree drew on 2018-2023 data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the American Community Survey – the nation’s largest household survey, with a sample size exceeding 3 million addresses.

Specifically, they identified the metros with the highest share of working adults ages 25 to 40 (excluding students) living with their parents.

Highest number of young adults living with parents in Riverside, California

By the numbers:

Across the 50 largest metros, the study found that an average of 11.8% of working adults lived with their parents.

Riverside, California led the list with over 1 in 5 (21.9%) working adults ages 25 to 40 living with their parents. Los Angeles (20.0%) and Miami (17.8%) followed.

What they're saying:

According to a Tax Foundation analysis of Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) data, these metros have lower purchasing power than the U.S. average, making it understandable that more working adults live with their parents, the study noted.

"Some of it may simply be that there’s much less stigma about being older and living with your parents today," Matthew Schulz, a chief analyst at LendingTree, said in a statement. "People are more practical. Rather than seeing moving in with their parents as a sign of defeat, people see it as an opportunity to stabilize their financial situation. If they’re living with Mom or Dad, they’re able to pay less for rent, groceries and other basic bills, allowing them to stash money away in an emergency fund, save for a car or mortgage down payment, or even get a head start on retirement savings. It may not be the sexiest, but it can make an awful lot of sense."

Meanwhile, Austin (5.8%), Raleigh North Carolina (6.7%), and Denver (7.0%) had the lowest rates.

Metros with highest number of working adults living at home

Number of working adults living with parents fell from 2018 to 2023

By the numbers:

Despite this, the number of working adults living with their parents actually fell 8.3% across the 50 metros from 2018 to 2023.

Only 13 metros saw an increase, led by Las Vegas (22.1%), Cleveland (16.7%) and Sacramento, California (8.1%). 

Conversely, Oklahoma City (36.7%), Nashville, Tenn. (33.2%), and Minneapolis (27.0%) saw the biggest decreases.

Those living at home make significantly less on average 

By the numbers:

The study also found that those living at home made 43.5% less on average than their independent peers. 

Working adults who lived with their parents made an average of $39,622 annually across the 50 metros, while those who didn’t made an average of $70,137. 

This means that working adults living at home would need to allocate 40% of their monthly income to rent a one-bedroom apartment. Across the 50 metros, it was highest in Tampa, Florida, at 54.3%.

(File: Highwaystarz-Photography / iStock / Getty Images Plus)

What they're saying:

"When more than half of your money goes to paying rent, it severely limits your ability to work toward other financial goals," Schulz continued. "There’s less money to pay down student loans or credit cards, build up your emergency fund, go back to school or start a small business. And in cities like Tampa, Orlando and Austin, you generally need a car to get around as well, making things even harder."

Share of young adults living with parents falls

Dig deeper:

While unemployment rates have previously been linked with young adults’ living arrangements, another new analysis did not find a strong link between unemployment and young adults’ living arrangements across metro areas.

RELATED: Here's where young adults are most likely to be living with their parents

After climbing steadily from 2000 to 2017, the data found that the share of young adults living with their parents has fallen somewhat in recent years.

In 2023, 18% of adults ages 25 to 34 were living in a parent’s home. In addition, young men were more likely than young women to live at home (20% vs. 15%).

RELATED: Moves to Florida, Texas dropped in 2024 — where are people going instead?

A majority of young adults living with a parent said the arrangement was good for their finances, but they were less enthusiastic about its impact on their social life.

According to other previous center research, white young adults are less likely than their Asian, Hispanic and Black counterparts to live in a parent’s home.

The Source: The information for this story was provided by a study by LendingTree, which used 2018-2023 data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the American Community Survey. Specifically, they identified 50 metros with the highest share of working adults ages 25 to 40 (excluding students) living with their parents. Previous FOX Local reporting also contributed. This story was reported from Los Angeles.

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