• by Jack Loechner , Staff Writer @mp_research, April 6, 2012

According to a new Pew Research survey, among all adults ages 18 to 34, 24% moved back in with their parents in recent years after living on their own because of economic conditions. According to the survey, 40% of 18- to 24-year-olds currently live with their parents, and the vast majority of them say they did not move back home because of economic conditions; many of them may have never moved out in the first place.

This generation of young adults has sometimes been labeled the "boomerang generation" for its proclivity to move out of the family home for a time and then come right back.

About a quarter (24%) of all young adults ages 18 to 34 say they have moved back in with their parents in recent years (after living on their own for a time) because of economic conditions.

Young adults who view this move an economic necessity have a more negative view of how this living arrangement has affected their relationship with their parents. Among those who say they have boomeranged, 25% say it was good for their relationship, 24% say it was bad and 50% say it hasn't made a difference.

Some young adults were already living at home for reasons that may or may not be related to the weak economy, says the report. The youngest adults – those ages 18 to 24 -- are more likely to fall into this category. Four-in-ten members of this age group currently live with their parents, and the vast majority say they did not move back home because of economic conditions. In fact, many of them may have never moved out in the first place. Only 12% of adults ages 25 to 34 currently live with their parents, but another 17% say they have moved back home temporarily because of economic conditions.

While many adults see a link between their finances and their parents’ finances, relatively few say they actually receive regular financial assistance from their parents. Overall, 9% of all adults say they receive money or financial assistance from their parents or other family members on a regular basis. Among adults ages 18 to 34, the share is considerably higher (19%). Among those ages 35 and older, only 4% say they receive this type of help.

Young adults moving back in with their parents is part of a broader trend toward multi-generational living. The number of Americans living in multi-generational households has been increasing steadily since 1980. Demographic forces such as delayed marriage and a wave of immigration have contributed to the increase.

During the recent recession, December 2007 to June 2009, the number of Americans living in multi-generational households rose sharply. A 2011 Pew Research Center report found that from 2007 to 2009 the increase in the number of Americans living in multi-generational households, from 46.5 million to 51.4 million, was the largest increase in modern history.

Over this period, the share of Americans living in multi-generational households increased more among young adults than among other age groups. By 2009, 21% of those ages 25 to 34 were living in multi-generational households, and the share had crept up even higher by the end of 2010 (to 21.6%). Among the total population, 17.5% were living in multi-generational households in 2010, up from 15.2% in 2006.

Young adults who live with their parents contribute to the household in various ways. Nearly all of the 18- to 34-year-olds surveyed (96%) say that they do chores around their parents’ house. And fully 75% say they contribute to household expenses such as groceries or utility bills. More than a third (35%) pay rent to their parents.

To read the complete report, and view charts and graphs, please visit Per Research here.