A record proportion of men aged 20 to 34 in the United Kingdom are living with their parents, according to recent data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). In 2025, over 2.3 million men within this age group remained in the family home, marking an increase from 2.2 million in 2024 and a significant rise from fewer than 2 million a decade ago. This equates to approximately 35 percent of men in this bracket, the highest level on record in data dating back 30 years.

By comparison, around 1.4 million women aged 20 to 34 continue to live with their parents, representing 22 percent of that demographic. This female proportion has increased over recent decades but has remained largely stable since 2020. The disparity is notably more pronounced among older individuals in the age range: at age 34, one in every eight men resides with their parents, whereas the figure for women is closer to one in thirty. Overall, nearly 29 percent of all 20- to 34-year-olds live at home, also a record high.

Experts attribute the trend primarily to economic challenges, particularly steep rental costs and limited affordable housing options. Charlie McCurdy, a senior economist at the Resolution Foundation, highlighted the burden of rental expenses in the private sector as a major factor. “For many young people, the alternative accommodation is in the costly private rental market, where rent can account for a third or more of their income,” McCurdy explained. The ONS reported that the average monthly rent in the UK was £1,374 in February 2025, up 3.5 percent year-over-year. London’s average rent was significantly higher at £2,273 per month.

Additional social factors may also be influencing living arrangements. More women tend to attend university after secondary school, increasing their likelihood of independent living. In contrast, a higher number of men aged 16 to 24 are classified as NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training). At the end of 2024, the ONS recorded 510,000 men in the NEET category across the UK, compared to 448,000 women.

McCurdy suggested that the rise in young adults living with their parents could be linked to demographic shifts, including a decline in fertility rates, which reached a historic low in 2024. He noted that living with parents can complicate forming independent relationships and starting families, potentially affecting broader social and economic patterns in the country.