Of the 79 million Americans living in shared households, 14.4 million are living with roommates. In this article, we’ll dig into more insightful statistics on living with roommates.
1. 79 Million Americans Live in Shared Households
In the United States, 31.9% of households are “doubled up,” meaning the space is shared with at least one adult who isn’t a spouse, romantic partner, or college student. That leaves almost 79 million adults living in a housemate-style situation.
[Source: Pew Research Center]
2. 14.4 Million Americans Live with Non-Family Roommates
Most shared households still keep it within the family: parents living with their adult children comprise the biggest bucket, with 47% of all shared household situations. Another 18% of all shared households involve non-family members – that works out to 14.4 million Americans living with non-family roommates.
[Source: Pew Research Center]
3. Nearly 45% of Renters with One Roommate Are Extremely Satisfied with the Arrangement
The pandemic put a unique strain on living situations, causing households to spend far more time together than usual. While some may assume that would lead to dissatisfaction with roommates, that isn’t necessarily the case. Overall, 44.8% of renters with one roommate are extremely satisfied with the arrangement. A mere 1.1% list themselves as extremely dissatisfied.
[Source: National Apartment Association]
4. Classmate Roommates Are the Happiest with the Arrangement, with 81.8% Considering Themselves Extremely Satisfied
When it comes to the types of roommate arrangements that bring the highest satisfaction, classmates outperform the rest. Overall, 90.9% were satisfied with the arrangement, and 81.8% considered themselves extremely satisfied
[Source: National Apartment Association]
5. Among Renters with Roommates, About Half Have Multiple Roommates, with 10.5% Having 4 or More
While around half of renters with roommates have only one roommate, many others have multiple. Approximately one-quarter have two roommates, and 15% have three. A startling 10.5% actually have four or more roommates.
Surprisingly, the latter group has the highest level of satisfaction and the second-highest number of reports of being extremely satisfied.
[Source: National Apartment Association]
6. During the Pandemic, 40% of Renters Spent All of Their Time with Their Roommates
Pandemic-related lockdowns and restrictions meant many people spent far more time at home than usual. For renters, around 40% spend all of their time with their roommates. Around one-third spent a few hours a day with their roommates, with a bit more than a fifth spent around half the day together.
[Source: National Apartment Association]
7. Between April and June 2020, 3% of Home Purchases Were Made by Roommate Pairs or Groups
The pandemic spurred a unique kind of homebuying movement, allowing those who found their rentals insufficient during lockdowns to find more suitable properties. While the majority of buyers were either married couples or single individuals, 3% of homebuyers were essentially roommates, listing no familial or romantic relationship.
Another 11% were actually unmarried couples. While not roommates in the classic sense, they aren’t legally family either in many cases.
[Source: Source: Wall Street Journal]
8. Co-Buying Surged in Recent Years, Increasing 771% Between 2014 and 2021
As a means of dealing with skyrocketing housing prices, Millennials are teaming up with non-family members to purchase property. Between 2014 and 2021, the number of co-buyers where the involved parties had different last names increased by 771%.
[Source: Wall Street Journal]
9. More Than 77% of 25 to 34-Year-Olds with Roommates Are Employed
All told, 77.7% of roommates aged 25 to 34 are employed. Even with a steady income, living with roommates can be a great way to save money or live in a desirable neighborhood that might otherwise stress your budget.
[Source: Colorado News Online]
10. 60% of 25 to 34-Year-Olds with Roommates Have at Least Some College Education
Similarly, many may guess that adults with roommates aren’t particularly educated. However, 60% have at least some college under their belt.
[Source: Colorado News Online]
11. While 60% of Roommates Knew Each Other First, 5% Met Over Craigslist
By and large, most roommates know each other before they decide to cohabitate. However, 5% didn’t meet until they connected on Craigslist through an ad seeking out a roommate.
[Source: Apartment Guide]
12. Cleaning Habits Are the Top Pet Peeve Among Roommates, with 37% Saying It was an Issue
When it comes to disagreements among roommates, differing cleaning habits was cited as the main pet peeve by 37% of renters with roommates. Poor communication came in next, listed as a primary concern among 12.2% of roommates.
[Source: National Apartment Association]
13. When There’s Tension, 71.5% of Roommates Talk It Out in Person
Even in the digital age, discussing issues in person is the go-to approach for roommates. Overall, 71.5% of roommates use that approach. However, 26.2% are also open to texting, while 9.4% believe notes left around the house are acceptable.
[Source: Apartment Guide]
14. 13.9% of Roommates Have Had Housemates Fail to Discuss Issues at All
While most roommates feel that communicating about issues using various methods is appropriate, 13.9% also state that their housemates chose not to discuss points of tension with them at all. The reasons could vary, from thinking the problem wasn’t worth the argument to simply wanting to avoid conflict to not feeling they were in a position to express disproval.
[Source: Apartment Guide]
15. 80% of Roommates Say They’d Have a Roommate Again
Overall, the generally positive experience leaves most people open to having roommates in the future. 80% say they would do it again, and 40% assert that they’ll likely have a roommate in the future.
[Source: National Apartment Association]
16. Among Adults Aged 25 to 34, 8.2% of Men Have Roommates, While Only 4.6% of Women Do
Among adults aged 25 to 34, men are far more likely to have a roommate than women. While 8.2% of men in that age group have at least one roommate, only 4.6% of women in that age group do.
[Source: Statista]
17. Having a Roommate in New York City Can Save Each Roommate $1,148 per Month
New York City is a notoriously expensive place to live. For those looking to cut costs, having a roommate is a clear way to go about it. Based on an average two-bedroom rent of $2,781 a month and an average one-bedroom rent of $2,538, roommates each stand to save $1,148 monthly by splitting a larger place (and the monthly rent) with another person.
[Source: Smart Asset]
18. Men and Women Tend to Live with Same-Gender Roommates, with 78.6 and 70.4% Using That Arrangement, Respectively
When it comes to the gender of roommates, most adults stick with the same gender. Overall, 78.6% of men live with male roommates, and 70.4% of women live with female roommates.
When it comes to opposite-gender roommates, 10.5% of men and 17.1% of women have that arrangement. The remaining 10.9% of men and 12.5% of women have mix-gendered roommates.
[Source: Apartment Guide]
19. With a 24.7% Satisfaction Rate, Living with a Stranger Is Better Than Acquaintance
When comparing satisfaction rates among adults with one roommate, strangers outperform acquaintances. While having a stranger as a roommate comes in at 24.7%, an acquaintance only rates at 23.4%.
If you have multiple roommates, strangers far outperform acquaintances. Here, strangers have a satisfaction rate of 22.4%, while acquaintances only have a 13.3%.
[Source: Apartment Guide]
