When Erika and Cody Archie posted a video to TikTok explaining how they would be charging their then-18-year-old daughter Kylee rent, the reaction was split. One commenter called it a "punishment". Another said, "I don't see anything wrong with it. It helps them learn responsibility." A third added, "Hell no, that's their home."
The video ended up going viral, receiving over 700,000 views. Despite the mixed response, Cody is sure they've made the right decision. "This is our way of preparing her and making sure she knows that things aren't free," he tells Newsweek, "Part of becoming an adult is knowing that you have to either pay rent or you'll have a house payment. Our hope is that by doing all this, we're preparing her for the world."
According to recent figures from the U.S. Census Bureau, 58 percent of 18-to 24-year-olds are living with their parents. While staying at home has benefits for young people, such as allowing them to pay off their debts or save, having an extra person under their roof means higher costs for parents.
A recent survey conducted by Redfield Wilton Strategies for Newsweek asked 1,500 U.S. adults their thoughts on parents charging their adult children rent. Around 57 percent said that adult children moving back home should pay for the privilege, even if their parents "do not need the money". Only 28 percent felt that adult children should live rent-free.
A study conducted by Lending Tree produced similar results. While 85 percent of parents surveyed said they'd let their adult children move home, 73 percent would charge them rent. Lending Tree found the percentage of adults between 24 and 40 living with their parents was the highest in three states: Hawaii (21.6 percent), New Jersey (20.7 percent) and Florida (20.1 percent). Hawaii and New Jersey are expensive places to live in, while Florida is more affordable. Lending Tree researchers guessed that some Florida adult children were at home to take care of aging parents.
