What the survey actually measured
A Qualtrics survey conducted for Credit Karma in June 2022 asked 1,022 U.S. adults ages 18–25 about living costs. 32% estimated that half of their monthly income went to housing—rent or a mortgage. The result is useful historical context, not a current census measure and not a rent-only statistic.
Four housing levers to compare
Potential levers include increasing income, sharing housing, changing location when work and family circumstances allow, or evaluating ownership with full local costs. None is automatically best. Compare after-tax income, rent, commuting, insurance, maintenance, transaction costs, vacancy risk, and how long you expect to stay.
House hacking is a real-estate strategy with financing, tenant, repair, legal, and concentration risk. Any numbers should be treated as a local underwriting exercise, not as a guaranteed route out of high housing costs.
Use current local data
Before making a move, replace national examples with current rents, mortgage quotes, taxes, insurance, utility costs, and wages for the exact market. A dated survey can frame a problem; it cannot decide a household’s next step.
Sources and methodology
Checked August 26, 2026. Survey findings describe the named sample, not every person in a generation or population. Limits, rates, market facts, and program rules can change.
- Intuit Credit Karma — Cost of Living Crisis Spurs “Failure to Launch” among Gen Z — June 2022 survey and methodology
Educational information only. This is not individualized financial, investment, tax, legal, medical, or mental-health advice. Verify current rules and consider an appropriately licensed professional for decisions specific to you.
