If it's New Jersey, nearly half of all millennials, that's who.
- The U.S. Census Bureau found that 31 percent of 18- to 34-year-olds lived with their parents in 2016, compared to just 26 percent in 1975. Examining the state-by-state data reveals some of the underlying reasons.
The Northeast leads the way in percentages of millennials living at home, led by New Jersey (46.9 percent), Connecticut (41.6 percent), and New York (40.6 percent). All three states have high costs of living, including rent and/or house payments. In such areas, it simply makes sense for millennials to stay at home if that's an option.
Other areas with high costs of living, property values, and/or taxes have similarly high percentages of millennials living at home. Florida (38.3 percent), California (38.1 percent), and Illinois (36.5 percent) are primary examples. However, the Deep South shows a uniformly high rate of living at home — perhaps from a mixture of economic necessity and a culture more tolerant of generations living under the same roof.
I'm sure it's because they're shiftless, lazy, and spend all their money on avocado toast.
*note: title left at its soporific best because who DOESN'T live at home
An interesting intersection between housing issues and health care, I know a couple who is currently looking at buying a duplex. One half for them is to live in, the other half is to rent to one of their parents. It addresses not only the issue of affordable housing, but also gives the couple an opportunity to care for the parents as they start to age. It seems like they're not the only ones with similar ideas. If you google "multi-generational housing" you'll get a lot of hits from various sources and perspectives.
Here in Los Angeles, granny flats are currently all the rage. The city has set aside a fund to help homeowners build second, accessory dwelling units (ADU's) in their backyard. As the name granny flats implies, the most common usage is to have people from the older generation live there, similar to your friend's duplex situation. In reality, it seems as though most homeowners are renting these out long term or short term on airbnb, which doesn't really help the original goal of the city's fund which is to help mitigate our housing crisis (shortage). There were some proposals that if you rent your back house out to section 8 (low income) tenants, you get all sorts of government rewards. I don't know if this program is working though, as it seems like a tough sell to convince homeowners to invite low income tenants into their backyards.