A return to the family home among young adults in the US is moving beyond a temporary step back and becoming a financial strategy. High rents, student loans, and the lack of affordable housing are making it increasingly difficult for many to live alone.
According to a 2025 Pew Research study, 18 percent of adults aged 25-34 were living with their parents in 2023. This picture is becoming more visible as rent pressures increase, especially in large cities.
Rent burden changes decisions
Keara Callahan, 25, left her life in Miami and moved in with her family in Northern Virginia in 2023 after a long-term relationship ended. Although she earned a good income as a remote government technology consultant, she did not find the cost of living alone in Miami sustainable.
Callahan said the decision was not easy. While she appeared to have built a