http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2013/08/01/a-rising-share-of-young-adults-live-in-their-parents-home/ http://www.theatlanticcities.com/housing/2013/07/many-young-adults-are-still-living-home-and-its-hurting-economy/6370/ This has more to do with the high cost of housing. Housing prices went through the roof and higher than salaries in the early 80's and have not decreased since. Housing is a luxury, rather than a Necessity and as long as this is the case, the economy will never improve. People are spending 50 to 75% of their income on housing, therefore no disposable income for anything else. Before housing became an "investment" and a luxury in the early 80's, people spent 25 to 33% of their income on housing. The high cost of housing is also the main reason for the population explosion of the homeless, which has been growing and continues to grow since the early 80's. There is no way the young will be able to get housing, either as a renter or a home owner. It's just too expensive. The housing market is supposedly "recovering", however, there will be another burst of this bubble as this can't go on forever.