Summary
A new study shows that rising rents are pushing many men without college degrees to move back home with their parents. Once there, many of these men stop working and drop out of the labor force. This trend is leading to fewer marriages and raising concerns among economists about the long-term effects on American society.
Main Impact
The cost of housing is directly changing how young men live and work. As rents have gone up 150% since 1960, wages for men without college degrees have stayed almost the same. This gap is forcing more men to live with their parents, and once they move home, they are much less likely to have a job. This cycle is also linked to a sharp drop in marriage rates, as fewer men feel they can support a family.
Key Details
What Happened
Gabrielle Penrose, a researcher at the American Institute for Boys and Men, studied six decades of U.S. Census data. She found a direct link between higher rents and fewer men working. When rents go up by 10%, the chance that a man without a college degree moves in with his parents goes up by 1.1 percentage points. That same rent increase also leads to a 0.5 percentage point drop in how many of these men are working or looking for work.
Important Numbers and Facts
Today, 16% of men without college degrees live with their parents, compared to 8% of men with college degrees. The share of men aged 25 to 45 living at home has nearly doubled since the 1960s, from 7% to 12%. Among nonworking men living at home, one in four has never held a job at all. Housing costs may explain about one-third of the total employment decline among men without college degrees.
Background and Context
For decades, the path to adulthood for many men was simple: leave home, get a job, and start a family. But changes in the economy have made that path much harder. Automation and globalization have reduced the number of good-paying jobs for men without college degrees. At the same time, housing costs have soared, especially in big cities where jobs are more plentiful. Many baby boomer parents own homes that have grown in value, so they are better able to take in their adult children. This creates a situation where it is easier for young men to move home than to try to afford rent on their own.
Public or Industry Reaction
Economists say the findings are concerning but not surprising. Scott Winship, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, notes that men without college degrees today are a more disadvantaged group than in the past. He points to zoning laws and land-use rules that limit housing construction in many cities. These rules make housing more expensive, especially in places with good job opportunities. Winship calls these rules a "real villain" in the story. Penrose says the response from some people was that men might be using home as a "launchpad" to save money, but the data shows that is not happening. Instead, many of these men become completely detached from the job market.
What This Means Going Forward
The trend has serious consequences for the future. Fewer men working means less income, less experience, and less chance to build a career. It also means fewer marriages, since many men do not see themselves as able to support a family. Winship calls the decline in marriage the "sleeper issue" behind the data. As women now outnumber men in the workforce for the third time in history, traditional roles are shifting. Policymakers may need to look at housing rules and zoning laws to make cities more affordable. Making housing cheaper could help more men live independently and rejoin the workforce.
Final Take
Rising rents are not just a housing problem. They are reshaping the lives of millions of men, keeping them at home, out of work, and unmarried. The data shows that when it becomes too expensive to live on your own, many men simply stop trying. Fixing this will require looking at both housing policy and the changing economy for workers without college degrees.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are more men without college degrees living with their parents?
Rents have gone up much faster than wages for men without college degrees. A 10% increase in local rents makes it 1.1% more likely that a noncollege man will move in with his parents. Many baby boomer parents also own homes that have increased in value, so they can afford to take in their adult children.
How does living at home affect a man's job prospects?
Men who live with their parents are 20 percentage points less likely to be in the labor force than those who live on their own. Many of these men stop looking for work entirely. One in four nonworking men living at home has never held a job.
What does this mean for marriage rates?
Fewer men are getting married because they do not see themselves as able to support a family. As women now outnumber men in the workforce, traditional roles are changing. Economists say the decline in marriage is a major hidden factor driving more men to live at home and work less.
