Increasing Social and Spatial Inequalities in Parental Co-Residence

Across countries, mounting housing pressures contribute to a growing number of young adults living in the parental home. Patterns at the micro-level and cross-nationally are well charted, but less is known about intra-country differences. Drawing on the case of the Netherlands, we use full-population register data to examine co-residence patterns of 25–34-year-olds for the 2005–2020 period. Through descriptive, GIS and multivariate analyses, we explain patterns in co-residence according to income, across space and over time. Results reveal substantial spatial differences in patterns of co-residence and rates of growth, with the strongest increases in the largest cities and directly adjacent regions. Patterns are most pronounced and intensified for low-income young adults, who increasingly struggle to realise residential independence in and around economic pull regions and high-priced urban areas. These findings point to increasing socio-spatial inequalities in co-residence, contributing to literature on the interaction between class and space.