PARENTAL GUIDANCE

Fewer Young Adults Having Kids or Buying Homes Over Money

Millennials and Gen Ze are achieving these milestones later than their parents and grandparents, studies show.

Half a century ago, nearly half of 25 to 34-year-olds had ticked off the classic adulthood boxes—leaving their parents’ house, tying the knot, or having kids—according to a new U.S. Census Bureau working paper. Today, fewer than one in four can say the same. “Living with parents has become more common, and many young adults now view marriage and children as goals to pursue only after securing financial independence,” said certified financial planner Douglas Boneparth. “The economic bar for starting a family has risen.” Millennials and Gen Z are achieving these milestones later than their parents and grandparents, studies by both the Census Bureau and Pew Research Center show. Even with higher rates of college graduation, today’s 20- and 30-somethings are saddled with heavier student loan debt thanks to skyrocketing tuition. That debt often delays buying a home—now a first-time buyer’s median age is 38, up from the late 20s in the 1980s, according to the National Association of Realtors.