Young people in Europe who want to stand on their own two feet have to overcome very different hurdles depending on the country. According to current Eurostat data, young people move out of their parent’s home at an average age of around 26, but the age varies significantly.

Regional differences

A glance at the map clearly shows that adults in Scandinavia leave their parent’s home at the youngest age. In Finland, Denmark and Sweden, the average age at which young people leave home is around 21.
The situation is very different in Southern and Eastern Europe. Croatia has the highest average age at which young people leave home, at around 31. As well as in Italy, Slovakia and Greece, many young people remain in their parental home until they are 30. In addition to traditional and cultural factors, it is primarily economic conditions, including high youth unemployment and limited, expensive rental and housing options in major cities, that make it practically impossible to move out earlier (de.euronews.com).

With an average age of 23.9 years, Germany is well below the EU average. Nevertheless, the trend towards moving out of the parental home at a later age is also evident here. According to the microcensus, around 28 percent of 25-year-olds were still living with their parents in 2024, a proportion that has even risen slightly recently (tagesschau.de).

Economic reality and gender gap

In many places, the desire for early independence collides with economic reality. Those who cannot find a job that pays a living wage or cannot afford a room in a shared flat remain in the proverbial ‘Hotel Mama’ for financial reasons. Housing costs are a decisive factor here. Between 2010 and the first quarter of 2025, rents in the EU rose by an average of 27.8 per cent (europarl.europa.eu). According to Eurostat, other factors also play a role, such as relationship status, the situation on the labour market, cultural habits and the general cost of living.

However, the gender gap across Europe is particularly striking: women are proven to take the step of moving into their own home earlier than men. On average, young European women leave their parent’s home two years earlier than young European men (de.euronews.com).

Reform needed for prospects

The age at which young people leave home in Europe is an important reflection of social developments. It reveals the extent to which the framework conditions for young people (whether in terms of housing policy or labour market support) are particularly supportive or whether there are significant challenges. This underlines the need to further improve the structural conditions so that young people can embark on their path to independence without worries.