More adult kids now back living at home

Just Croatia, Slovakia, Greece and Italy have higher rates than Ireland of such adults living at home.

e average age at which young Irish men move out is now 27.4 years, while for women it is 26.5 years.

Ireland is an outlier in Western Europe, and sits among the Balkan and Eastern European countries where socio-economic circumstances and a lack of viable job opportunities often mean adults remain in the family home into their late 20s and early 30s.

Finns, Danes and Swedes all tend to move out of the family home before turning 22. Dutch, Germans and French young adults usually move out before turning 23.

Among 20- to 24-year-olds, Ireland’s rate is also quite high, with 89% still living at home. e EU average for this age group is 74%.

However, a lack of rental accommodation and a ordable housing to buy means many young Irish people cannot a ord to move out.

Ireland has the most expensive housing market in the EU, and rents are well above the EU average.

Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien last week conceded that the country had a “very signi cant housing problem” and said he wanted to see more support for renters in the October Budget.

Among the measures he wanted introduced were an increase in the renter’s tax credit to almost €800 and to extend the Help to Buy scheme for rst-time buyers for another two years.

Psychiatrist Dr David Coleman has said hat the phenomenon in Ireland was likely more circumstantial –due to the cost of living and lack of a ordable housing – rather than cultural or a generational change.

Dr Coleman said the psychological phenomenon of adult children who are very delayed leaving, or never move out of, their family home to live independently of their parents likely came down to opportunity or lack thereof.

“Economic factors are the most signi cant reasons for adult children remaining at home, or returning home after a period of independent living. For example, in the Nordic (countries), where cost of living is lower compared to income levels, there are fewer adults remaining at home than in southern

Europe,” he told the Irish Independent.

“In some countries, like Italy for example, they have found that adult children remaining at home has become part of the culture and that many parents prefer their adult children to remain at home.

“Continuing education is another signi cant factor that delays young adults from leaving home.

“ e nancial capacity of parents is also a factor. Parents with higher incomes are more likely to have adult children still living in the home than those with lower incomes.”