Record men at home as costs soar

TL;DR

A record 2.3 million men aged 20 to 34 lived with their parents in 2025, per ONS data reported in The Telegraph.
35% of men in that age group stayed home, up from 30.5% in 2015, while only 22% of women did so.
Soaring rents and high unemployment trap millions in parental homes, economists warn.[[1]](https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/families/bulletins/familiesandhouseholds/2025)[[2]](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2026/04/18/record-number-of-men-living-at-home-with-their-parents)

The story at a glance

The Telegraph reports on new Office for National Statistics data showing a record high in young men living with parents due to steep accommodation costs and high unemployment. The article, by deputy economics editor Tim Wallace, draws on 2025 figures where 34.9% of men aged 20-34 lived at home, versus 22.3% of women. This is being covered now following the ONS release of Families and households in the UK: 2025.[[1]](https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/families/bulletins/familiesandhouseholds/2025)[[2]](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2026/04/18/record-number-of-men-living-at-home-with-their-parents)

Key points

More than 2.3 million men aged 20-34 still lived in the family home in 2025, compared to 1.4 million women.[[2]](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2026/04/18/record-number-of-men-living-at-home-with-their-parents)
Overall, 29% of 20- to 34-year-olds lived with parents, with the male rate at 34.9% (up from 30.5% in 2015) and female at 22.3%.[[1]](https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/families/bulletins/familiesandhouseholds/2025)
By age 34, about one in eight men (12.5%) remained with parents.[[2]](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2026/04/18/record-number-of-men-living-at-home-with-their-parents)
Economists blame soaring renting costs and high youth unemployment for preventing millions from moving out.
The trend reflects broader pressures like the cost-of-living crisis hitting young men harder.

Details and context

ONS data tracks a steady rise in young adults staying home, with 7.2 million aged 15-34 living with parents in 2025, up from 6.6 million in 2015. For the 20-34 group, the share hit 28.7% overall, driven mainly by men as housing affordability worsens—rents have outpaced wages amid low supply.[[1]](https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/families/bulletins/familiesandhouseholds/2025)

Women leave home earlier, often due to partnering or marrying younger, while men face barriers in low-wage jobs and deposit savings. This echoes pre-2025 patterns, like 33.7% of men in 2024, but 2025 marks a statistical peak for males.[[3]](https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/families/bulletins/familiesandhouseholds/2024)

The article ties this to UK economic woes, including youth joblessness, without linking to policy fixes.

Key quotes

None reliably sourced from the paywalled article.

Why it matters

High housing costs and unemployment delay independence for a generation of young men, straining family dynamics and slowing household formation. Readers face tougher renting or buying, with deposits harder to save while at home; businesses see muted consumer spending from delayed moves. Watch ONS updates and housing policy shifts, though relief may lag amid supply shortages.[[2]](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2026/04/18/record-number-of-men-living-at-home-with-their-parents)