Historical Changes in Young Adult Living Arrangements, 1967-2013

• In Event: 432 - Section on Aging and the Life Course Paper Session. Changes in the Timing of Life Course Transitions in Young Adulthood: Taking Longer, Maybe Never

Abstract

This study details changes in young adult living arrangements between 1967–2013. Using pooled annual cross-sections from the Current Population Survey, we examine the prevalence of independent households (married, cohabiting, lone adult) and dependent households (living with parents, other family, nonfamily). Our main contribution is using decomposition to analyze how shifts in the characteristics of the young adult population have contributed to changes in living arrangements. We find that compositional change among young adults who live alone or with parents are largely responsible for the increase in these arrangements. In contrast the changing effects of demographic variables are largely responsible for shifts in marriage and cohabitation, that is until the most recent recession. The analyses suggest that changes in young adult living arrangements occurred during different periods, with the bulk of the rise in living alone occurring during the 1970s and that of cohabitation during the 1990s. These findings help illustrate the historical transformation of young adult living arrangements. In doing so they provide a context for understanding broader shifts in the transition to adulthood.

Authors

• Laryssa Mykyta, U.S. Census Bureau

• Jonathan Vespa, U.S. Census Bureau