Young adults more likely to live with parents than 20 years ago

© Hollandse Hoogte / Sabine Joosten
An increasing share of young adults aged 18 to 29 years are still living with one or both parents. As of early 2023, just under 46 percent lived at home, up from nearly 40 percent in 2003. The share of young adults living at home has been rising, especially from 2010 onwards. Young men are more likely to live at home than young women, but this gap has narrowed. Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reports this based on a further analysis of figures from the National Youth Monitor.
Most young people leave the parental home between the ages of 18 and 30. In early 2023, just under 89 percent of 18-year-olds still lived at home, against slightly over 11 percent of 29-year-olds. At all ages, young adults living at home make up a greater share than twenty years ago.

More often at home in their early twenties

Especially among those in their early twenties, the share living at home has increased in a span of two decades: in 2003, nearly 50 percent of 21 to 23-year-olds were living with their parent(s), versus almost 58 percent in 2023. The percentage of 18 to 20-year-olds living at home went up rapidly as of 2015 in particular, coinciding with the introduction of the student loan system. Research indicates that from 2015 onwards, especially higher professional education (HBO) and university students were less likely to leave the parental home than in previous years.

The share increase was smallest among those aged 27 to 29 years, but even they became more likely to live at the parental home as of 2010. 
This age group not just includes HBO or university students, but also more people in work.
The percentage of 18 to 29-year-olds living at the parental home has not changed much over the past two years. Although the share has declined among teenagers, it has continued to increase among people in their mid-twenties.

Gap between men and women living at home narrowing

Traditionally, men tend to live at home longer than women, but this gap has narrowed in recent years. Between 2003 and 2023, the share of young men living at home rose from just over 47 to just over 51 percent, while among young women, it rose from slightly over 31 to slightly over 40 percent.

The gap between male and female young adults living at home has decreased the most in the age group 21 to 24 years; the largest increase in this age group was seen among young women. For men, the largest share increase was seen among the 24 to 26-year-olds, with the gap between men and women narrowing less significantly.

Fewer young people living at home in student cities

In 2023, in total just over 57 percent of 20 to 24-year-olds still lived at home, while among 25 to 29-year-olds, it was slightly under 20 percent. Those in their twenties living in student cities are least likely to live at their parental home, often because they have moved for study or work and live in shared housing or independently. Groningen has the smallest percentage of 20 to 24-year-olds living with their parents, followed by Wageningen, Delft, and Maastricht.

Even among 25 to 29-year-olds, the percentage of those living at home is smallest in (student) cities. The municipalities where relatively many people in their late twenties live at home are mainly located in the eastern part of the country and in the province of Noord-Holland. The largest shares of 25 to 29-year-olds living at home are found in the municipalities of Bloemendaal, Dinkelland, and Rozendaal.

 

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