To think women know the 'explanation' for why more young men than women live with parents

[Echobelly]

Was reading this article, and had to laugh at the last line https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/jan/11/hotel-of-mum-and-dad-in-uk-at-its-fullest-in-two-decades-study-finds - apparently 'Young men are more likely to live with their parents: 12% compared with 5% of women at the age of 34. Researchers could offer no explanation for this, although the gender differences also existed in other high-income countries.'

I think a lot of women could offer an explanation. 😜

I think that both sexes are infantilised. 21 year olds treated like sixth formers. And so on, until they’re 34 and still being referred to as “young adults” and having their washing done for them.

But the CoL problem is a VERY significant factor. I left university in 1994 and had no problem at all affording a flatshare rental and then the deposit/mortgage on my own small property in 1999. These days, tiny mid-link starter homes in my Devon town are 5x average salary. I dread to think what that situation is like in the South East.

I've been looking at some of the dating threads on here recently.
One thing that shines out is how many women who are looking for a man actively don't like men.

Many women go straight from their parents to living with a partner. (Numerous threads on here on that very topic). Women have a time limit if they want children, men do not and so women are more likely to try to find a partner and cohabit at a younger age than men are. Not hard to understand. It's just my opinion, you don't need to understand it.
The majority of single adult households in the UK are pensioners , young single women living independently alone is not very common due to the cost of living these days. Gender difference in single adult households is 52% women and 48% male so not much difference.
Still waiting on OP's opinion.

There are far more routes for women of that age to get social housing whereas virtually non for young men.

When you say valueni assume you are thinking financial? Because "men still earn more than women" isn't a great reason to partner up and live with one.

That article also mentioned the increase in families where the culture is for the women to move in to their in laws in marriage. Could account for a small proportion of that difference.
I work with mostly S Asian colleagues and very many of the married men live with their parents.

I suspect that as price houses spiral, childcare becomes extortionately expensive, social care collapses and people have to work more, the multi generational home will become more common again.

I can think of 7 in our family and it's pure laziness. Gaming all the time, mother doing the run around. The mothers shouldn't do it, but they do. Alot of women i know wanted to make a home and fanlmily for themselves & the men seem to be more selfish.

House prices, not price houses 🤣

Because young women are more likely to have an older partner they move in with. That said if you look at the full statistics, and allow for factors like sen and cultural norms, the numbers living with parents are not that high.

I have children and stepchildren in this bracket, all live independently one way or another, a variety of circumstances. Only 1 of my friends dc are living with them post 25 and he has moved out but moved back for tricky reasons.

Presumably the women haven’t actually made a home and family for themselves and by themselves though. They will have a, most likely, male partner who almost always earns more to fund the family.

There are two obvious answers already stated that account, I'm sure, for the highest percentage of the difference: 1. Children and eligibility for social housing/benefits; 2. Women living/marrying older, more established men.

@User1786 if this is true then maybe men should stop buying the subscriptions and paying to watch women and use that money to buy a house instead....

It's not "most likely" that men pay for their families. Gingerbread shows most single mums get nothing in UK. Most marriages don't last, esp until the kids are 30!

Surely it’s because women are (I’m afraid) more likely to be willing to cook for a son and do his washing, etc. than they would be for a daughter.

I’m amazed that this hasn’t come up before to be honest, because I genuinely think this is a major factor.

When it comes to responsibility in the house and expectations; my general experience of siblings with mixed sexes is that the female ones have much higher expectations put on them than the males.

Same. It’s getting worse as well

I’m a young woman and I literally know nobody who has done either of these things.

And men like and respect women so much yeah ?

Lets be real - women like and respect men a lot more than the other way around.

I mean women moaning on Mumsnet or to their mates about men versus men literally killing and sexually abusing and systemically oppressing women and creating social media campaigns to denigrate and insult women (eg Andrew tate).

So often I’ll go on a 30/40 something year old single female influencers social media who is talking about enjoying travelling solo or being single .

She will get so many angry men threatening and insulting and mocking her, calling her a cat lady, expired etc. you just don’t get the equivalent from women posting angry comments on a single male influencers social media who is posting about his single life! I know you can say it’s “just social media” but social media stems from something, it’s part of real life and these hateful men are part of society!

There's shit all in the way of council flats or HA flats around here.

And even less than shit all if you're male and childless.

Boys/men seem increasingly disengaged and lacking in drive or ambition at school then beyond.

There’s no more incentive for girls but maybe they’re still getting more of the it’s so important to be independent and strong conditioning from parents worried about the risks of them being dependent on partner. Whereas fostering these values in boys fell out of favour due to the need to not raise males with big boys don’t cry type attitudes and not wanting to emotionally cripple them?

Just top of head thoughts. There must be more to it than parental influence though as I am seeing it in my son even though I always imparted the need to be strong and independent etc 🤷‍♀️

Seriously?

There are two obvious answers already stated that account, I'm sure, for the highest percentage of the difference: 1. Children and eligibility for social housing/benefits; 2. Women living/marrying older, more established men

This. Plus women typically higher priority for housing ( even single and childless) than single men?

@swallowedAfly

This is a good point.

I think many girls are much more aware of the importance of being financially independent these days.

40 years ago a lot of girls were basically raised for marriage. Getting good qualifications and a good job was a niche ambition and open only to the academic or the hugely motivated.

Girls are now (rightly in my view) discouraged from seeing “being a wife and mother” as a standalone goal.

For boys on the other hand the aspiration hasn’t really changed in that they expect to have to work to support themselves but their motivation hasn’t kept up with the increased competition from girls, many of whom are much more driven and motivated than they are.

They just don’t have the fire in the belly to evolve and fall behind, until of course the women have children and then their careers have to be prioritised.

No wonder some of us find so many of them contemptible.

Yep. And in the case of a relationship breakdown a lot of men would say the women and kids can stay in the joint house and they'll move out. Often back home to parents is the only realistic way to do this.