Among adults with at least one living parent or adult child, a significant majority (74.8%) had their nearest parent or adult child within 30 miles, and about one third (35.5%) had all parents and adult children living that close.
So I was surprised to learn that straying from family is unusual in the U.S.: Roughly three in four American adults live within 30 miles of their nearest parent or adult child, according to a 2019 study. Only about 7 percent have their nearest such relative 500 or more miles away.
Yet that picture masks a key fact about the geography of family in the United States: The typical adult lives only 18 miles from his or her mother, according to an Upshot analysis of data from a comprehensive survey of older Americans.
Nearly six in 10 young adults live within 10 miles of where they grew up, and eight in 10 live within 100 miles, according to a new study by researchers at the U.S. Census Bureau and Harvard University.
It's safe to say that adults older than 30 should not be living at home with their parents unless they are caring for parents with declining health. By the time someone is 30, they should have had enough time to secure a job and save up enough to move out.
It's not all smiles and cups of tea. Shutterstock. Gone are the days when living at home in your 20s was seen as an embarrassing sign of arrested development. Today, 63% of single adults between the ages of 20 and 29 live with their parents, as do just over half of 25- to 29-year-olds.
30-Year-Olds Do Live with Their Parents
It's no longer unusual—it's the norm. As of 2021, 52 percent of millennials have moved back in with their parents. A millennial is the age bracket of 18-39. A 30-year-old is right in the middle of that group.
A new study from researchers at the U.S. Census Bureau and Harvard University says nearly 60% of young adults – the study measured people at age 26 – live within 10 miles of where they grew up. Eighty percent live within 100 miles. A key reason people stay put?
Figures show the average age for men to leave was about 24 in 2019, up from closer to 23 almost two decades ago. For women, the average age to leave in 2019 was after they reached 23, compared to closer to 22 in 2002.
MOVING OUT: AT WHAT AGE? For men aged 18–34 years in 2006–07, the median age of first leaving home was 20.9 years (including those who left then returned later). Women in this age group tended to leave home for the first time at a slightly younger age (19.8 years).
The average age young people leave home in Australia is 23 for men, and 24 for women. Sara, 27, was a few years beyond the national average when she decided to move out last December.
Know That It's Okay to Move Away From Family
Moving is a big life decision, and it's totally normal to second-guess your choices. Still, there is nothing wrong with making the choice to move away from your family.
Many people have agreed that 25-26 years old is an appropriate age for an adult to move out of their parent's house. But to be honest, there's no perfect age for you to do it. If you are financially and mentally capable to be independent, then you should start considering moving out of your parents' house.
While each person and situation are different, many people think that it's best to move out of your parents' house between the ages of 25 and 26. However, don't get fixated on these numbers. They're only meant to serve as a guideline. You may be ready to move out at a different age.
Switzerland. Switzerland, officially called the Swiss Confederation, is a small country in Central Europe made up of 16,000 square miles of glacier-carved Alps, lakes and valleys. It's one of the world's wealthiest countries, and has been well-known for centuries for its neutrality.
Topping the 2023-24 list: Green Bay, Wisconsin. The magazine called Green Bay "The perfect mix of big-city amenities complemented with a Midwestern, small-town feel."
For many people, the thought of leaving their hometown gives them anxiety. That's why many people never leave their hometowns. It's a step outside of their comfort zone, a surrender into unknown territory, and a leap into adulthood. But, in most cases, it's always the right move.
Networking Opportunities
Moving away from your hometown will allow you to create an expansive network which essential if you want to do well in a career. It's good fun getting to grow your network, meeting new people in your industry, showcasing your talents and gaining the chance to learn one thing or another.
Moreover, many studies show that the highest probability for migrating is between the ages of 20 and 30 years old.
Women who want to have a big family should start trying for a baby by 23, experts have warned. Even those who only want one child shouldn't wait past the age of 32, if they really want to become a mother.
You can turn your life around at 30. Your age shouldn't matter if you really want to make a change in your life. However, it's difficult to change at a fundamental level anymore.
Moving back in with parents is a chance to regroup and get your finances in order. It can help simplify your financial life and help reduce the chance of digging yourself deeper into debt as you juggle all of the costs of living independently.