It is, in the view of many members of the upper middle class, a natural rite of passage to go away to college, and then, upon graduation, to move to the big city and live on your own. In fact, though, an increasing number of new college grads are moving back in with Mom and Dad
They have been dubbed the "Boomerang Generation." A new advice book aims at them: "Boomerang Nation: How to Survive Living with Your Parents the Second Time Around." For those finding living back at home difficult, help is available from "I Need My Own Place Self-Action Workbook"
But if some college grads do move back home, many never leave to begin with: They could not afford to reside in the dorms, or did not attend a four-year residential college.
About 30 percent of all New York City college grads aged 21 to 25 live with one or more parents in the metropolitan region, according to an analysis of data from the 2000 census, as do 15 percent of those 26 to 30, and eight percent of those 31 to 35. (See Table 1.)
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Table 1. Living Arrangements All College Grads 21 to 35
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||||||
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Age Categories
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Parent
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Roommates or Partners
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Self
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Spouse
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Other Family Situation
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Total
|
|
21 to 25
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45,512
|
54,111
|
23,520
|
13,034
|
13,710
|
149,887
|
|
|
30%
|
36%
|
16%
|
9%
|
9%
|
|
|
26 to 30
|
39,366
|
66,550
|
61,005
|
72,069
|
22,882
|
261,872
|
|
|
15%
|
25%
|
23%
|
28%
|
9%
|
|
|
31 to 35
|
17,739
|
33,620
|
53,497
|
96,452
|
19,792
|
221,100
|
|
|
8%
|
15%
|
24%
|
44%
|
9%
|
|
|
Total
|
102,617
|
154,281
|
138,022
|
181,555
|
56,384
|
632,859
|
|
|
16%
|
24%
|
22%
|
29%
|
9%
|
|
But there is a sharp difference between college grads who went away to school and those who did not. When one looks at those aged 23 to 26 who went away to college, only about eight percent are living with their parents. By contrast, almost three-quarters of those who did not go away continue to live at home.
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Table 2. Living Arrangements and College Location, College Grads 23-26
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Live at Home
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Live on Own
|
||
|
|
Away To College
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College at Home
|
Away To College
|
College at Home
|
|
Female
|
54%
|
55%
|
58%
|
59%
|
|
Married
|
2%
|
1%
|
14%
|
22%
|
|
Race
|
|
|
|
|
|
White
|
43%
|
54%
|
74%
|
51%
|
|
Black
|
20%
|
18%
|
7%
|
20%
|
|
Hispanic
|
13%
|
15%
|
7%
|
18%
|
|
Employed
|
78%
|
77%
|
84%
|
72%
|
|
Median Income
|
$21,000
|
$25,000
|
$30,000
|
$25,000
|
|
Estimated Number
|
9,127
|
33,265
|
99,890
|
12,353
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The college graduates in this age group who went away to college and are now living on their own are more likely to be female, married, white, employed and earning more money. Those who boomeranged (went away to college but now live in their childhood home), make less money, are less married, and less white.
Those that boomerang may not enjoy the experience of moving back home, but what about those who never had the chance to leave?
NOTE: This analysis was based upon data from the 2000 Census Public Use Micro-data file, which includes information about where people lived five years before. That information was used to assess who "went away" to college, as well as other characteristics.
Andrew A. Beveridge has taught sociology at Queens College since 1981, done demographic analyses for the New York Times since 1993, and provides expert testimony on a range of cases, including housing discrimination. The opinions expressed are his alone.Â
