Nationally, more than a third (35%) of all twenty-something young adults were living at home in 2012. The largest share was in New Jersey: nearly half (48%) of New Jersey’s young adults were still living in a household headed by their parent or step-parent. In three other states–Connecticut, New York, and California–more than 40% of young adults were living at home.
In contrast, only 17% of young adults ages 20-29 were living with their parents in North Dakota and the District of Columbia. North Carolina had a higher share of young adults living at home (30%), but was still below the national average.
In general, patterns reflect the relative costs of living in each state. There are exceptions, however, reflecting the interplay of other factors such as migration and local economic conditions. The District of Columbia, for example, has the highest cost of living and the lowest share of young adults living at home. Alabama, on the other hand, has the second lowest cost of living yet 35% of young adults are still living with their parents.
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