Percentage of college graduates living in their parents’ home increasing

College graduation is an exciting time as students celebrate their accomplishments and look forward to the life and career ahead of them.

However, as the economy continues to struggle, many young adults throughout the country are finding out that life after graduation is anything but simple.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics has estimated that roughly two million college-educated workers 25 years of age or older are currently unemployed and the numbers rise significantly for younger demographics.

Researchers believe that more young adults are moving back in with their parents as a result of the high unemployment rate, unmanageable student loan payments and the unstable housing market, all of which leave millions of young people unable to rent or purchase their own home.

The U.S. Census Bureau released a report last month stating that the percentage of young adults living in their parents’ home increased noticeably over the past six years.

According to the report, the percentage of men age 25 to 34 living in the home of their parents rose from 14 percent in 2005 to 19 percent in 2011 and from eight percent to 10 percent over the period for women.

Likewise, 59 percent of men age 18 to 24 and 50 percent of women that age resided in their parents’ home in 2011, up from 53 percent and 46 percent in 2005. College students living in a dormitory are counted in their parents’ home and are included in these percentages.

Since the report counts college students living in a dormitory among those percentages, these numbers may be a bit skewed. The frail job market and a national unemployment rate of 8.6 percent can contribute to this growing trend.

The country’s ongoing housing woes have not helped. Weak consumer confidence and depreciating home values have affected prospective home buyers of all ages, encouraging many people, including young adults, to wait to buy.

These statistics were released as part of the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2011 “America’s Families and Living Arrangements” report, which is founded on data from the 2011 Current Population Survey.