Across the United States, the path to adulthood for Generation Z is looking increasingly steep. A recent wave of reports and personal stories has put a spotlight on the mounting financial and emotional hurdles facing young adults as they try to strike out on their own. The numbers—and the anecdotes—paint a picture of a generation grappling with challenges that often feel insurmountable, even as older generations look on with a mix of sympathy, confusion, and sometimes frustration.
According to a February 2026 report from LendingTree, just 26.9% of adults aged 18 to 27 who hold full-time jobs are able to “live comfortably” on their own. In LendingTree’s terms, that means affording a standard one-bedroom apartment without spending more than 30% of their income on rent. For comparison, more than half of millennials, Gen Xers, and baby boomers with full-time jobs meet that threshold, highlighting a stark generational divide.
The ability to afford basic housing varies dramatically depending on where young adults live. In Scranton, Pennsylvania, more than seven in ten Gen Z full-time workers can afford a one-bedroom apartment. Toledo, Ohio, also offers relative affordability, with nearly two-thirds of young adults able to make rent under the 30% rule. But in pricier locales—think Oxnard, California, Miami, San Diego, and Honolulu—the numbers are grim. Fewer than 10% of young working adults in Oxnard can afford a basic apartment, LendingTree found, and the picture is similarly bleak in those other high-cost cities.
It’s not just the cost of rent that’s putting the squeeze on Gen Z. While younger workers generally earn less than their older peers, the relentless rise in housing prices is a key factor. About 60% of Gen Xers, 57% of millennials, and 56% of baby boomers can afford housing by LendingTree’s definition. The report also points out a demographic shift: there are now more Gen Z members working full time than baby boomers, a milestone that underscores how the workforce is changing even as financial independence remains elusive for many.
For those who do manage to land a job and move out, the struggle doesn’t necessarily end there. A February 2026 article noted that a significant number of Gen Z adults remain living with their parents and are childless, underscoring the difficulties many face in achieving full independence. The piece also highlighted that many young adults are not only contending with financial barriers but also with emotional and practical challenges that make the leap to adulthood particularly daunting.
This theme of fragile independence is echoed in personal stories circulating online. In a post that struck a nerve on Reddit’s r/Millennials, one millennial recounted his experience with his Gen Z sister, who is eight years younger. He described her as struggling with everyday tasks—walking more than half a mile, handling household chores, and navigating public transport. Social anxiety is a major hurdle: “She gets legit anxiety and raving thoughts when she has to interact with people she feels don’t like her enough,” he wrote. The dependency is such that she’s asked who will take care of her if their parents pass away, a question that left her brother “never knew that she has become so cripplingly dependent” on their dad.
Readers responded in droves, sharing similar experiences and reflecting on the ways each generation’s upbringing shapes their worldview. One commenter summed up the generational gap: “She not only grew up in a different world than I did, but she had totally different parents than I did, even though they were technically both the same people.” Others noted that among Gen Z, the high achievers are “REALLY high-achieving—much better at their jobs than I was at that age. The others are basically office furniture.” It’s a reminder that the challenges aren’t universal, but the sense of generational change is palpable.
Financial dependence on parents is not just a personal matter—it’s a national trend with real economic consequences. According to a 2025 report from Savings.com, half of U.S. parents provide ongoing financial support to their adult children, shelling out an average of $1,474 per month to help with expenses like groceries, cell phone bills, and rent. This support can quietly erode parents’ retirement savings, especially if it continues longer than expected. The tension is clear: parents want to help, but they also need to safeguard their own futures.
Many families are seeking professional help to navigate these tricky waters. A 2025 Ameriprise study found that 78% of parents who consulted a financial advisor felt better equipped to make decisions about supporting their adult children while still protecting their long-term goals. The study suggests that outside guidance can provide clarity and peace of mind in situations where the emotional stakes are high and the financial risks are real.
So, what’s a young adult—or their parents—to do? LendingTree offers one practical tip: try negotiating your rent. Landlords, the report notes, may prefer to keep reliable tenants rather than go through the hassle and expense of finding someone new. “Finding a new tenant is a headache,” LendingTree said. “It takes time and money that the landlord would prefer not to spend. Assuming you’ve been easy to work with, they’d likely rather have you stick around, and they might even be willing to knock a couple of bucks off your rent each month to make it happen.”
But the solution isn’t just about haggling or budgeting. The broader question—how much of who we become is shaped by grit, and how much by the era we’re dropped into?—looms large. One Reddit commenter put it succinctly: “Multiple things can be true at the same time: mental health issues/diagnoses and also the need to persevere and work through difficulties.” It’s a balancing act that every generation faces, but the stakes feel especially high for Gen Z, coming of age in a world marked by economic uncertainty, rising costs, and shifting social expectations.
As parents, siblings, and young adults themselves wrestle with these realities, it’s clear that the road to independence is more complicated than ever. Whether the obstacles are financial, emotional, or a bit of both, the journey is uniquely shaped by the times—and by the families navigating them together.
For now, the data and the stories both point in the same direction: Gen Z is forging its own, sometimes rocky, path to adulthood, with all the challenges and opportunities that come with it.