EU Report: Greeks Among the Oldest to Leave the Family Nest

Young people in Greece remain among the last in the European Union to leave their parental homes, according to new Eurostat data, with housing costs emerging as a key factor behind the trend.

In 2024, the average age at which young people across the EU moved out was 26.2 years, slightly down from 26.3 in 2023. However, in Greece the average was much higher at 30.7 years, placing it among the “negative champions” alongside Croatia (31.3) and Slovakia (30.9). Italy (30.1) and Spain (30.0) also recorded averages above 30.

By contrast, northern European countries showed the lowest ages for leaving home, with Finland at 21.4 years, Denmark at 21.7, and Sweden at 21.9.

Housing costs weigh heavily on the young
The Eurostat figures underline the role of rising housing costs in shaping these patterns. In 2024, 9.7% of young people in the EU (aged 15–29) lived in households spending at least 40% of disposable income on housing – compared with 8.2% for the total population.

Greece and Denmark recorded the highest levels of housing cost burden among the young, at 30.3% and 28.9% respectively – far above the EU average and more than double the rates in countries such as the Netherlands (15.3%), Germany (14.8%) and Sweden (13.5%).

At the other end of the spectrum, Croatia (2.1%), Cyprus (2.8%) and Slovenia (3.0%) reported the lowest housing cost pressures.

Interestingly, the data reveal that in many countries where young people leave home earlier – including Denmark, the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, and Finland – the burden of housing costs is higher. Conversely, countries with later departures from the family home, such as Cyprus, Croatia, and Italy, tend to report lower levels of housing stress.

Greece, however, is an outlier: despite its late average age of independence, it also faces some of the highest housing cost burdens in Europe – making it an exception to the broader EU trend.

(Source: Eurostat)