Young adults are increasingly staying in the family home until their mid-30s, according to new figures released by the Central Statistics Office, writes Mark Hennessy, Political Correspondent
The number of people aged over 20 and still under the family roof rose by 13.7 per cent between 1996 and 2002. More than 47,500 men aged between 25 and 29 are still living with their parents, though the number of women of that age still at home is far lower, at 31,621.
And there are now 42,500 people aged over 30 who live at home.
The development is largely explained by rising house prices, particularly in urban areas, though other factors may also be involved.
These latest statistics from the April 2002 Census were released yesterday. The number of men aged 30 to 34 living at home stands at 19,369, and again the number of women is much lower, at 11,092.
Marking a continuation in changing birth rate patterns, 38 per cent of women between 25 and 34 are childless, according to the CSO, compared to 28 per cent in 1996.
Meanwhile, the number of co-habiting couples rose dramatically between 1996 and 2002, up from 169,300 to 228,600 .