The term "nesters" appears in various journalistic materials, referring to individuals aged 25–34 living with their parents, without a spouse or children of their own. Media portray these individuals in a critical light, attributing laziness, lack of ambition, a desire to live at their parents' expense, and remaining "adult children." In our recent study, we have decided to examine this issue.

According to our data, nearly two-fifths of single Poles aged 25–34 (39%) live with their parents (guardians) under one roof. Compared to measurements from 2005 and 2017, we note an increase in the percentage of those remaining in the family home.

Single individuals aged 25–34 living with their parents

Most of them (58%) are men. The highest proportion of the so-called nesters (61%) live in rural areas, while the lowest is in cities with populations of over 500,000 (3%). Most (59%) of them are in the 25–29 age range. It can be assumed that nesters are often individuals who have recently finished their studies and do not yet have stable incomes, which necessitates reliance on parental support.

Nesters are primarily working individuals (83%). However, work does not always yield enough income for independence. For this reason, we asked about the financial independence of individuals aged 25–34 who still live with their parents. It turns out that single individuals aged 25–34 who have not yet left the family home are rarely completely financially dependent on their parents (guardians); 72% do not need material support as they have sufficient means for their maintenance. One in four nesters (24%) is partially financially dependent on them.

Employment status of single individuals aged 25–34 living with parents.

Financial status of single individuals aged 25–34 living with parents.

Our study also shows that the vast majority (67%) of single individuals aged 25–34 living with their parents (guardians) do not have a partner.

Do nesters plan to move out? They most commonly declare that they do not plan to move out of their parents' house or will do so in an unspecified future (32% for each answer). A significantly smaller proportion plan to leave the family home in the coming year (18%) or within two to three years (15%).

Do you plan to move out of your parents' home?

We asked singles aged 25–34 who still live with their parents to list reasons for this situation. The largest group cite economic factors, such as lack of housing (51%), lower living costs (42%), insufficient income (39%), and lack of work (4%). Continuing education and related obligations explain the inability to achieve independence for about one in ten nesters (11%). Nearly half postpone starting an independent life due to good housing conditions at their parents' house (48%), and one in five do it due to support in daily responsibilities from their parents (21%). One-third (32%) justify their stay in the family home by not having their own family, while 21% do not leave home due to emotional attachment to their parents, and 14% stay because their parents require assistance. The least frequently mentioned reason is parental opposition to their child moving out (1%).

Reasons why single individuals aged 25–34 live with their parents