Home Economics: Metropolitan Labor and Housing Markets and Domestic Arrangements in Young Adulthood

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
I examine the relationship of labor and housing market conditions to marriage, living alone, living with a partner, living with roommates, or living with parents among persons aged 18–30. Although the residential choices available to contemporary young adults undermine the uniqueness of marriage, I find that marriage retains a high material standard. I also find that the material foundations of nonmarital arrangements differ. Housing costs are strongly associated with domestic arrangements: in areas with higher housing costs, relatively expensive arrangements are less common. These patterns appear in broad brush for blacks and whites and males and females; however, I also observe important racial differences. My results suggest that the interaction of structural context with consumption aspirations is an important influence on domestic life in the transition to adulthood.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: