My husband is the first person in his immediate and extended family to leave the small Ohio town in which he grew up. He’s the odd one out — and not just in his own family.
The vast majority of young adults choose to settle down within 100 miles of the place in which they were raised, according to new data from the Census Bureau. The glamorized dream of moving out and making it big seems to be a thing of the past for millennials, 80% of whom lay down roots close to home by the age of 26. Black and Hispanic people especially tend to stick close to home, as do those with lower- and middle-class families.
Though I’m not one of the young adults smart enough to stick around, I sometimes wish I were. Family provides a sense of security and comfort; they’re a safety net on which to fall and a constant source of help. Plus, they’re a sort of built-in friendship, one that you just can’t shake no matter what you do or say. That’s a luxury in today’s society.
To be sure, finance plays a big role in the decision of young adults to stay near home too. Rural Ohio is a lot cheaper than New York City, where the average rent is about $5,000 per month. Millennials might feel compelled to experience one of America’s concrete jungles for themselves, but the real question is whether they can afford to.
Regardless of what’s keeping young adults close to home, it’s a good thing they’re there. We need community, and the best way to build it is to plug into the one you already have.
