Twenty-Six
While young adults across Europe aspire to independence, the path to leaving the parental home is far from uniform. Eurostat's 2025 statistics reveal deep divides in housing situations across the continent, with significant differences in the average age at which young people begin living independently.
In the European Union, the average age for moving out of the family home is 26.3. Luxembourg stands above this average, with young residents leaving home at 26.6 years old. This is notably higher than in neighbouring countries: in France the average is 23.8, in Germany 24.1. Only Belgium approaches Luxembourg's figure, at 26.2.
The disparities across Europe are striking. There is a 10-year gap between Finland and Croatia:
- Finland: 21.3 years. Denmark follows at 21.8. Extensive public assistance and a flexible rental market make early independence possible.
- Croatia: 31.5 years, the highest in Europe. Slovakia and Greece at 30.9, Italy and Spain at 30.2. Unemployment and precarious economic conditions make living with parents the only option.
Luxembourg's average has remained in the mid-to-late twenties in recent years. High housing costs are likely to be one factor making it harder for young adults to move out.
The pattern is clear. Where housing is cheap and rentals are flexible, people leave early. Where housing is expensive or jobs are scarce, they stay. Finland gets you out at 21. Croatia keeps you until 31. Luxembourg sits at 26.6, just above the EU average, which sounds reasonable until you compare it to France at 23.8 and Germany at 24.1. The difference between Luxembourg and its neighbours is not culture. It is the rent.