Exploring The Pros And Cons Of Living With Your Parents During College

After 18 years or so under their parents’ roof, many young adults are anxious to head out into the real world, often living on their own for the first time in a college dorm or nearby apartment. But with the cost of housing and just about everything else steadily increasing, this rite of passage doesn’t always make economic sense — and a growing number of college students are opting to postpone independence for a while.

One father’s story

Chicagoan Noah Berlatsky figured his daughter would leave the nest when she enrolled in college, but instead he and his wife continue to live with the now-20-year-old … and with some ground rules in place, things seem to be working out pretty well for everyone.

Among the most notable benefits to the arrangement is the savings. And it’s not just the college student who’s getting a big break on expenses.

Even though Berlatsky said his daughter doesn’t pay rent, there are other ways it works out financially for the parents.

“We’re also saving a lot of money because she’s going to a state school nearby rather than a private college farther off,” he explained. “That means lower tuition, not much in the way of travel expenses, and (god willing) no college debt.”

Then there’s the fact that he and his wife get to see their daughter regularly, even though she stays busy with friends and classes.

Things have changed

Berlatsky admitted that his parents wouldn’t have been open to such an arrangement when he was heading off to college decades ago. But economic issues and a new generational perspective have made situations like his far more common.

In fact, a census report released last year showed that more than half of Americans between the ages of 18 and 24 lived with their parents.

Chris Agee July 3rd, 2024

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