Young people
Young Dutch people tend to fly the nest early. In Nordic countries and in France, young people leave the parental home even earlier. Regardless of age, the timing usually depends on the degree of financial independence, enrolment in education and the availability and cost of housing.
Eight in ten young adults (18 to 24 years) in the European Union still live with their parents. The percentage shares vary widely among countries. In Denmark and Finland, a mere 40 percent of young adults still live at home, whereas the share exceeds 90 percent in Belgium, Spain, Italy, Cyprus, Slovakia, Luxembourg, Malta, Portugal, Slovenia and Croatia. In the Netherlands, the share of 18 to 24‑year-olds living at home lies at 70 percent.
Boys stay longer than girls
At any age and anywhere in the EU, young men stay at home longer than young women. In 12 EU countries, over 90 percent of young men live at home until age 25. No more than 4 percent of young Slovakian, Croatian and Italian men live on their own. In Denmark and Finland, nearly 50 percent of young men and slightly over 30 percent of young women still live with their parents. These are very low shares from a European perspective. The shares are significantly higher in the Netherlands: 74 percent of young Dutch men live at home, versus 65 percent of young Dutch women.
In the higher age group, shares fall rapidly throughout the EU-28. Among men, the share falls from 84 percent (18 to 24 years) to 47 percent (25 to 29 years); among women, from 76 to 32 percent.