Home, Again: Record Numbers of Adults Are Living With Parents

If you recently moved back in with your parents or grandparents due to a job loss or personal circumstances, you’re not alone — not by a long shot.

According to a Zillow analysis, nearly 3 million adults moved in with their parents or grandparents in March and April, when businesses and colleges first shut down to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

The homeward migration during those early months brought the number of adults living with their parents or grandparents* to 32 million in April — a record high — and nearly 10% higher than the same period in 2019.

More than 80% of those moving home were between the ages of 18 and 25, also known as Gen Z. And while that number began to fall in late summer, it remains extremely high.

As of August, 61.2% of Gen Z was living with parents or grandparents, well above the 54.4% that did so in August 2019. That means almost 2 million more young adults nationwide were living at home in August 2020.   

Some of the moves were due to the closure of college campuses, but Gen Z moves were overwhelmingly due to unemployment. According to Zillow’s analysis, the number of employed young adults (aged 18-25) fell by more than 25% — or 5.9 million — in March and April.

That’s a lot of change over a short period, and it’s likely many of those combined households are feeling stressed right now as they adjust to new routines and fresh worries.

Ways to keep moving forward

As we all try to cope with new circumstances and uncertainty, there are things we can do to take care of ourselves and others, and to keep moving forward in our lives.

Coping with stress 

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a long list of resources to help you if you’re feeling stressed or distressed. Many of us are, and there’s no shame in needing help.

Managing finances

If you’re worrying about finances, the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has tips for protecting and managing your finances during COVID, including ways to work with a lender if you’re at risk of falling beyond on your car loan, and tools to help you prioritize bills. 

Organizing and downsizing

You also can take this opportunity to organize and get rid of stuff — yours and your parents or grandparents, if they need the help. To get started, here’s a three-step plan for downsizing. 

Helping others

While it’s normal to feel overwhelmed at times, research shows that shifting your focus to others can be a powerful way to combat feelings of isolation. If there’s something you can do to help others during this time, you may find the person you help the most is you.

* To be considered living in their parent’s home, a person had to be the child or grandchild of the head of household.