Most everyone has a roommate horror story, complete with all the drama of a soap opera reserved for something as mundane as washing dishes with the wrong soap or as weird as where they cut their nails. Such an experience is largely a rite of passage of young adulthood, but increasingly so for Gen Z, who is set to make a Goosebumps series of roomie stories as living alone becomes more difficult in today’s economy.
Solo living has become a luxury saved for middle-aged; 50 is the average age of the typical U.S. renter living alone, per the latest Census data from 2022, first reported by Axios. Twentysomethings have long had roommates to cut costs while on entry-level salaries, especially when making ends meet in large cities. But in a time of skyrocketing rent and inflation, the trend is solidifying as one of the only ways young adults can afford city life or renting in general.
