Newsroom
Europe’s ''kids'' aren’t really kids when they finally leave home. New figures show that in 2024, the average age for young Europeans to fly the nest was 26.2...just a hair younger than the year before.
But where you live makes all the difference. In Finland, Denmark and Sweden, young people are out of the house before 22, Ikea furniture and all. Meanwhile, in southern Europe, the family dinner table stays crowded for much longer. In Greece, the average age to leave home is 30.7, with Croatia (31.3), Slovakia (30.9), Italy (30.1) and Spain (30.0) not far behind. Cyprus, ever the middle child, clocked in at 27.2.
Why the delay? Housing is the elephant in the living room. Across the EU, almost 10% of young people between 15 and 29 spend at least 40% of their income just keeping a roof over their heads. In Greece, the number jumps to a staggering 30.3%. Denmark is close behind at 28.9%, while Cyprus (2.8%) and Croatia (2.1%) are among the least burdened.
The paradox is clear: in countries where young people move out earlier, like Denmark and Sweden, housing costs hit them the hardest. In countries where they hang around longer, like Croatia and Italy, the costs are relatively low. And then there’s Greece, stuck in the worst of both worlds: young adults live at home well into their 30s, yet still face punishing housing costs when they do move out.
So while Europe’s “boomerang kids” may be the punchline of family jokes, the reality is more serious. For many, moving out isn’t about maturity; it’s about math.
