Young Adults Living Alone, with Siblings, or with Roommates, 2022
Family Profile No. 16, 2024
Author: Krista K. Westrick-Payne
This profile is an update
of FP-18-26.
In the United States, moving out of the parental home to establish an independent household is a key milestone in the transition to adulthood. However, today's young adults are less likely to be married or have children compared to those in the early 1990s (Minkin, Parker, Horowitz, & Aragão, 2024). Consequently, the past decade has seen a continued rise in the number of young adults living with their parents (Loo, 2024) alongside an increase in those who are cohabiting (Manning & Loo, 2024). There has been comparatively less focus on single young adults who live independently, whether alone, with siblings, or with roommates. Using data from the U.S. Census and American Community Survey we provide an update to a previous profile (Schweizer & Payne, 2018) with data from 2022. This update focuses on young adults aged 18 to 29 living alone or with a sibling or roommate. Young adults living with a parent, grandparent, spouse, or cohabiting partner are excluded from these analyses. For information on older adults living with siblings and roommates, see the companion profile "Living with a Sibling or Roommate in Older Adulthood, 2022” (FP-24-17).
Note: A very small share (0.07 – 0.13%) of young adults live with both a sibling and a roommate. As such, for ease of interpretation and visualization, they are included in the “living with a sibling” category and not in the “living with a roommate” category.
Trend in Young Adult’s Living Arrangements
- The number of single young adults living with siblings or roommates has increased over time. In 1990, approximately 5.0 million young adults were living with a sibling or roommate, compared to 6.5 million in 2022.
- From 1990 through 2016 the share of single young adults living alone remained relatively stable, ranging from 6.0% to 6.8%. However, the share increased to 8.2% in 2022.
- The share living with a sibling remained relatively stable throughout the time period, ranging from 3.2% to 3.9%. In 2022 the share living with a sibling was 3.6%.
- In 1990 7.4% of single young adults were living with a roommate, increasing to 8.1% in 2000. From 2010 through 2022 the share was stable, reaching 8.7% in 2022.
Figure 1. Young Adults Living Alone or with a Sibling or Roommate
Population aged 18 to 29 not living with a parent, grandparent, spouse, or cohabiting partner
Young Adult’s Living Arrangements, by Age and Gender, 2022
Figure 2. Young Adults Living Alone or with a Sibling or Roommate, by Age and Gender, 2022
Population aged 18 to 29 not living with a parent, grandparent, spouse, or cohabiting partner
- Among single young adults not living with a parent or grandparents, most of those aged 18 to 24 were living with a roommate and three in ten were living alone. This pattern shifts for those aged 25 to 29, with about one-third living with a roommate and one-half living alone.
- Patterns are largely consistent between men and women across both age groups.
- Regardless of age or gender, approaching one-fifth of single young adults not living with a parent or grandparent were living with a sibling.
Young Adults’ Living Arrangements by Educational Attainment, 2022
- Among singles aged 25 to 29 not living with a parent or grandparent, there is an educational attainment gradient in the share living with a sibling or on their own.
- Only about one-tenth of (9%) college graduates were living with a sibling compared to more than three-in-ten (36%) among those without a high school diploma. More than half (56%) of college graduates lived alone versus about one in three (29%) among those without a high school diploma.
- Among singles aged 25 to 29 years old not living with a parent or grandparent, those with a bachelor’s degree or higher and those without a high school diploma have the largest proportions of young adults living with a roommate, at over one-third (35%). Slightly fewer with a high school diploma or some college—about three in ten (31% and 30%, respectively)—were doing so.
Figure 3. Young Adults Living Alone or With a Sibling or Roommate, by Educational Attainment, 2022
Population Aged 25 to 29 not living with a parent, grandparent, spouse, or cohabiting partner
Young Adults’ Living Arrangements by Race/Ethnicity, 2022
Figure 4. Young Adults Living Alone or With a Sibling or Roommate, by Age, Gender, and Race/Ethnicity, 2022
Population Aged 18 to 29 not living with a parent, grandparent, spouse, or cohabiting partner
- There are striking differentials in living arrangements by race and ethnicity. In each age group, Blacks more often lived alone than the other groups considered here. Among non-Hispanic Black adults, two-fifths (41%) of those aged 18-24 and three-fifths (61%) of those aged 25-29 not living with their parents or, grandparents were living alone.
- There is little variation by age among young adults who lived with siblings across race/ethnicity. Hispanics had the largest share living with siblings among both young adults aged 18 to 24 years (39%) and 25 to 29 (32%).
- Across race/ethnicity, those aged 18 to 24 had a larger share of young adults living with roommates than those aged 25 to 29. Non-Hispanic Whites and Asians had the largest share living with roommates among those aged 18-24 at 58% and non-Hispanic Asian had the largest share among those aged 25-29 at 40%.
Data Source:
United States Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 1-year Public Use Microdata Sample, 2022
References:
Loo, J. (2024). Young adults in the parental home, 2007-2023. Family Profiles, FP-24-02. Bowling Green, OH: National Center for Family & Marriage Research. https://doi.org/10.25035/ncfmr/fp-24-02
Manning W. D. & Loo, J. (2024). A decade of change in cohabitation across age groups: 2012 & 2022. Family Profiles, FP-24-03. Bowling Green, OH: National Center for Family & Marriage Research. https://doi.org/10.25035/ncfmr/fp-24-03
Minkin, R., Parker, K., Horowitz, J., & Aragão, C. (2024). Parents, young adult children and the transition to adulthood. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2024/01/ST_2024.01.25_Parents-Young-Adults_Report.pdf
Suggested Citation:
Westrick-Payne, K. K. (2024). Young adults living alone, with siblings, or with roommates, 2022. Family Profiles, FP-24-16. Bowling Green, OH: National Center for Family & Marriage Research. https://doi.org/10.25035/ncfmr/fp-24-16
This project is supported with assistance from Bowling Green State University. From 2007 to 2013, support was also provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation. The opinions and conclusions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s) and should not be construed as representing the opinions or policy of any agency of the state or federal government.
Updated: 09/03/2024 12:27PM