High Living Costs Have Pushed Nearly Half of Recent College Grads to Move in With Their Parents

Just half of recent college graduates (50%) became financially independent within one year of graduating, driving 49% back into their parents' homes.

ST. LOUIS, Aug. 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Nearly half of recent college graduates (49%) had to move back in with their parents after graduating, and 46% of them still live there, according to a new report from Clever Real Estate, a St. Louis-based discount real estate broker where sellers can compare local, full-service real estate agents near them and save money on their next sale.

In a survey of 1,000 Gen Zers, a majority (52%) say they're more likely to move back in with their parents in the next five years than buy a home of their own. Of those who have moved back home, most (58%) blame the high cost of living.

For many, moving home is a financial necessity. A majority of Gen Zers (59%) still rely on financial support from their parents, and 31% say their parents cover all of their bills.

Although 67% of current college students would be open to moving back home to save money, those who live with their parents have a median of just $4,000 saved, compared with $12,000 among those who do not.

Just 7% of current college students say they would actively choose to live with their parents after graduating. A third (33%) would prefer to buy a home, but only 13% of recent grads actually became homeowners.

Despite the obstacles, owning a home within the next 10 years is the achievement Gen Z would find most impressive (32%), ahead of earning a six-figure salary (30%), getting married (12%), and being debt-free (12%).

Just 8% of Gen Zers say they never want to own a home. In fact, over half (58%) say they are rooting for a housing market crash so they could actually afford to buy.

Although 95% of Gen Z believe they will own a home someday, 57% doubt they will be able to afford one at the age their parents did.

Gen Z's expectations, however, may still be too optimistic. Even with the median first-time buyer in the U.S. now hitting age 40, about 64% of Gen Z expect to buy a home before they turn 35.

Gen Zers are willing to go to extremes to buy a home sooner. About a third would work overtime (35%) or take a second job (32%), while others would delay having children (21%), put off marriage (16%), or raid their retirement savings (10%).

Some would go even further to avoid moving back in with their parents, with 19% willing to skip meals and 12% willing to live in their car.

Read the full report at: https://listwithclever.com/research/young-adults-living-with-parents-2026/

About Clever Real Estate
Clever Real Estate allows sellers to compare top-rated discount real estate brokers and low-commission realtors in their local area. Clever's content reaches over 12 million readers annually, and its nationwide agent matching service has a 5.0-star Trustpilot rating across more than 4,300 customer reviews. Since launching in 2017, Clever has reached over $16.7 billion in real estate sold, matched over 248,000 customers with realtors, and saved consumers over $250 million on commission fees. Clever's network spans over 13,000 agents across all 50 states.

CONTACT:
Nicole Lehman
Clever Real Estate
[email protected]
724-719-0406

SOURCE Clever Real Estate