In defense of millennials living with Mom and Dad

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More young people today live in their parents’ home than in any other arrangement: 1 in 3 young people, or about 24 million 18- to 34-year-olds, lived in their parents’ home in 2015. … In 2005, the majority of young people lived independently in their own household (either alone, with a spouse, or an unmarried partner), which was the predominant living arrangement in 35 states. By 2015—just a decade later—only six states had a majority of young people living independently.

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**The data, most commentators miss, counts living in college dorms as living with parents. As college attendance ticks up, the “living at home” number will, too.**

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At 24.2 million people, the population of 18- to 34-year-olds living at home is a large and diverse group. Most of them— about 81 percent—are either working or going to school. This should not be surprising because most people aged 18 to 24 are living in their parents’ home, attending classes or working part-time. On the other hand, we might be surprised if their older peers do not contribute to the family budget because they have had more time to finish school and find a stable job. Yet, of the 8.4 million 25- to 34-year-olds living at home, about 1 in 4 are idle, meaning they are not in school and do not work.

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In sum, the phenomenon of young adults living at home is a lot more complex than much of the commentary suggests. The category would include a 20-something single woman in her first job, trying to save for a first home and repaying student debt, paying “rent” to Mom and Dad. It would include a 19-year-old male at a state university living in the dorms; a young widow with an infant; and a young person with a mental disability. Sure, there are basement-dwellers living unproductive lives. But there are also millions of young people trying to get adequate schooling, managing with a disability, coping with single parenthood or simply attempting to function in an uncertain economy. The subject is a serious one and should be treated as such, not as another nugget of information with which to indict an entire generation.

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Jennifer Rubin writes the Right Turn blog for The Post, offering reported opinion from a conservative perspective.

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