"The empty nests are filling up.
A report released last week finds that living at home with parents is, for the first time in recorded history, the most common living arrangement among Americans ages 18-34. And while experts will give you their reasons, they sometimes fail to capture the finer details, like, well, convenience." …
http://college.usatoday.com/2016/06/02/millennials-living-at-home/
Then I guess we will be happily “uncommon.”
I’m happily “uncommon” too. My kids never would have considered it and I never did either.
My S is at home- for now- We couldn’t afford to pay his tuition so he came home after college to pay off student loans. He did- 40K in 15 months. He just changed jobs and is now creating his emergency ‘nest egg’ and gaining experience so he can then move into a third job. Short term goal, is save another 40K, long term goal- move out within 2 years. We are okay with this as it will put him in a position neither H or I had when we were his age.
Our goal is to be empty nesters when we retire from work, so for now we are good. Plus, we don’t do anything for him. He buys and eats whatever he wants. We are not doing the family dinners, laundry etc.
@ChuckleDoodle If you live where your child can get a good job post college, that’s not a bad way to help pay off college debt although I still prefer undergrad debt at $20k or less.
DS1 lives in his own apartment about 30-40 miles north of here, but he comes to our house almost every weekend to do laundry and just hang and because we’re closer to most of his social life – his club sports team, friends, etc., – than is his apartment right by work. His lease is up in August, and he’s trying to figure out his next move. It definitely won’t be home, but he might move a little south, which means his weekend visits will lessen. I like the current arrangement, and I bet he’ll come home for an afternoon/dinner most weekends anyway.
After graduation, he lived at home for a year while doing AmeriCorps. It was fine. He’s pretty easy.
ChuckleDoodle, that is awesome that he is saving so much money! Think of how much he is saving by staying at home, he is fortunate to be in an area where jobs are available.
Our youngest just graduated, and is living at home, trying to get a job as a software engineer in NYC. There is a decent paying temporary job that he could get locally (for a company he worked at before), but we agree that it’s not the best idea to work full time at a job that isn’t getting him to where he wants to go, and prevents him from being able to spend the time applying and interviewing. The entire goal is to do things that move him forward, like building websites, learning new skills, studying for interviews, and talking to recruiters.
We’re hoping that something comes through soon, just because we know that this is not where he wants to be, and feels a little panicked about not having something lined up. But we are enjoying every moment we have with him, though he may not enjoy being asked to help with my husband’s mega projects and hikes all the time!
I think many of the kids that are at home now are going to college (or between their college years), and it’s far cheaper to stay home. Not everyone wants to (or can) pay an additional 10K+ per year, for a dorm room.
D never considered coming home to live after graduation. Hopefully S won’t either. I love my kids and love spending time together but prefer they not come back home to live.
I used to be the type of person who would come on a thread about less than ideal realities, to announce, “not me!”
But as I’ve gotten older, I feel less and less like that’s something I need to do.
I am happy both of mine are on their own now. One took longer than the other. I don’t think that that reflects any global or personal realities. It just was what it was.
My D’s career is in NYC, and given the high cost of living, she’d come home in a heartbeat if we lived close enough. Some of her friends do live with their parents in the city, and they can do a lot that more than she can. It only makes economic sense. I’m glad and proud that she can make it on her own, but if I could help her in that way, I would.
D2 is home for 2 months before she moves away again to start grad school. She told me the other day, “Mom, I love you and Dad, but I have a feeling I’m going to be VERY ready to move out in 2 months.” I smiled, nodded, and said “Oh, I’m sure you will be.” Then bit my tongue. 
One lived at home, paid toward utilities, etc, because we have the space and the mutual respect thing was working. Then got her own place a year later. She’s been employed throughout. The other never did live here again, lives in the next big city, though she’s back a lot (seems to come to nap. Ok, not really that bad. And she’s employed, too.)
The wonderful apt D1 has may be rehabbed, may double in rent. She might move back here for a few months. We’ve got an extra room with it’s own bathroom, not in the main traffic of the house. It works.
Goskid #2 got a job in DC right after college graduation. Then half year later, got opportunity he couldn’t turn down in SF. A two year contract. Moved home, as SF rents are astronomical…and he knew there was a specific time frame. (oh yeah, and he likes the chef and housekeeping services here )
He’s managed to save a lot, which is good as he’s applying to grad school, which is on his nickle. He’s been a pleasure to have around and I’ll miss him when he’s gone…but I know he’s ready to move on. If he wants to return after grad school, the door is open, but guessing he’ll be making his own nest…
Both of my kids moved out after college and never came back. My husband would be uncomfortable if they did want to come back, but the situation hasn’t arisen, so I don’t think that matters.
I suspect that when most of us think of our kids “moving out,” we think of them staying in the same metropolitan area, or at least within easy driving distance of home. But this doesn’t always happen. My husband and I are on the East Coast, but one of our kids is in California, and the other is about to move from the Midwest to Colorado.
I’m glad they have lives of their own – interesting and successful lives. But I miss them.
D2 just graduated from college last week. She will be living at home and working for 2 years before she goes off to law school. Since my divorce, it has been only me at the apartment, so I am looking forward to have her around. But it is not going to be a free ride for her. We just worked out what she would pay me for rent (a lot less than what she would pay in NYC), and other expenses she would pay - electric, 50% housecleaning, and her own food. I travel during the week, so she will have the apartment to herself most of the time. And she is allowed to have friends over when I am not there. 
S1 was home for a while, and it was fine. S2 is in a lease until August, and hopefully will have found a job by then, but if not, he’ll come home. Makes no financial sense otherwise, and we are all getting the hang of this “family of adults” thing. So much so, our codeword for someone crossing a boundary is to yell “FOA! FOA!”.
I too thought “I would never allow that” but it’s funny how the realities of life make us humble
I’m the only one of my family of 7 kids who moved to a place of my own in my 20s when I was single. My sibs all lived with my folks until they married or bought their own places or were in their 30s or beyond. All of us had college degrees and 6 of us had grad/pro degrees. All of us had good jobs but saved our $$.
After my kids get out of grad school, they will not be living at home, though they are free to visit any time. The reasons for this is a)they would not want to live at home, and b)due to a very strange circumstance, they will be coming into a significant amount of money within the next 7 months. With that kind of windfall, I expect they will want to live independently, regardless of employment or salary.
So my saying that my kids will not live at home is not due to how fantastic they are, how good the job market is, or anything we have done with regard to raising them. It’s just due to pure luck.
After a decade living two thousand miles away from home, DD is moving in with us at the end of August. She’ll be attending grad school 15 minutes from the house, and living with us to save money so she can buy a car (something she didn’t need in NYC) and “a really good snowboard” (ditto.) We estimate she’ll move out in January. This should be mighty interesting – but I’m excited and looking forward to it.
"S1 was home for a while, and it was fine. S2 is in a lease until August, and hopefully will have found a job by then, but if not, he’ll come home. Makes no financial sense otherwise, and we are all getting the hang of this “family of adults” thing. So much so, our codeword for someone crossing a boundary is to yell “FOA! FOA!”.
I too thought “I would never allow that” but it’s funny how the realities of life make us humble"
Why would you think you would never allow that? Your kids to live with you temporarily, if it made sense?
I knew I could always come home and stay with my parents as long as I needed. I lived at home during college, and for the six months prior to going into the Air Force after graduation. Thankfully, I never had to go back to live, even when we both lost our jobs and were practically out of money, with a baby and a toddler. Not because there was anything wrong with doing so, but because my parents are crazy complicated to live with.