When Do American Youth Leave Their Homes?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Nadia Elgendy on December 27, 2012 at 3:34pm

It really depends on where the child ends up going to college. If it's far away from home, then usually, 18. However, if they go to a local college, it's usually after they graduate. Sometimes, after college, some kids come back to live at home until they get a job. I would say average age is around 20.

There are also many different cultures in the US, so it varies with parents.

Permalink Reply by Omega Thiel on December 30, 2012 at 4:17am

I am an American youth and, if it helps, I'm planning to leave right after I graduate to go to college. So are all of my other classmates. This is how I answered the same question for one of my exchange student friends. As may be the case in many other places in the world, Many American youth choose to spend time after high school working to earn money to start their own lives. Some get married early while others simply have the taste for adventure. Others can't stand being at home and want to get out as soon as they turn 18, and still others have parents who want them to learn to live their own lives and "kick" them out of home in order to force them to see the world they live in. I've seen all of these scenarios and I've often wondered about my own future. Now that I am applying to colleges and trying to plan ahead for myself, I have a better understanding of how difficult it really is to leave the nest. I think Nadia made an accurate supposition on 20 being the age that youth typically leave their parents homes.

Permalink Reply by Renee Day on January 13, 2013 at 2:24pm

I agree with Nadia.  Generally, the expected age for youth to leave home to go to college or work would be when they are 18 years old because they are legal adults, no longer minors.  However, with the economy as it is now, some youth are opting to attend community college, even if they are accepted to a four-year university, and are living at home a bit longer.  I also see a shift in attitude among youth that I teach, as well as their parents, with regard to living at home after high school.  Where it may have been the norm in years past for parents to encourage their children to leave home once they turn 18, the new trend that I see is that parents are encouraging their children to go to school and/or work and stay at home until their children are mature or financially solvent enough to stand on their own as independent adults. 

Permalink Reply by Fathima Sana on February 7, 2013 at 3:53am

I am an exchange student from India residing in US and I did wonder about the youth in America. I strongly agree with the concept of freedom to make decisions among the each citizens of USA, whereas the people of my homeland creates a conservative traditions and cultures which restricts the freedom to live on their own especially for women. As the individual becomes matures enough to understand the pros and cons of life he/she can choose their path of life. As I get along with American chums, I realized that majority of them leave home and become self reliant at the very early stage and begins to burnish their life without much concern about relationships. Ultimately its only our deeds and loving relations that resides with us in our eternal life.