United States Young Adults Embrace Frugal Living and Intergenerational Housing

A growing number of American college students are opting to live in senior‑care communities to lower housing costs and reduce loneliness. Daija Holliday, a 25‑year‑old psychology major at Marquette University, rents a private apartment at St. Camillus Life Plan Community for about $500 a month—roughly one‑third the price of comparable housing nearby. She says, "I always feel that everyone here supports me. They are like a second family." Generations United officials note that such intergenerational arrangements foster natural social interaction between ages.

At the same time, a segment of U.S. Gen Z is pursuing an extreme savings strategy dubbed “retirement‑maxxing.” Natalie Baddour, a 26‑year‑old in Fort Lauderdale, has accumulated $300,000 by allocating more than half of her income from a job at Chewy Inc. and stock dividends to retirement accounts. She lives frugally—room‑sharing, cooking at home, and driving an old car—and explains, "For me, working hard to earn money while young is crucial. I believe it's the key to the life I want." Surveys show one‑third of Gen Z already max out annual IRA contributions, reflecting anxiety about housing costs, rising interest rates, and future Social Security shortfalls.