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I feel like this is one of those "filter bubble" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filter_bubble https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filter_bubble) scenarios. There are

I feel like this is one of those "filter bubble" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filter_bubble https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filter_bubble) scenarios. There are many young software engineers working at Google/Facebook who would be able to save significantly more than the median US household income per year while renting their own place but still choose to live with roommates.

rayiner 8y ago
Only 16% of adults nationwide live with a roommate or other non-relative, and that number is declining since 1995: http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/01/31/more-adults-now-share-their-living-space-driven-in-part-by-parents-living-with-their-adult-children http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/01/31/more-adults-....
- pedrosorio 8y ago
  You stated: “People do it because they're financially distressed (relative to their locality). They can't both live alone and save money comfortably.” This is false for software engineers in the Bay Area. Can they save more by living with roommates? Sure. But they wouldn’t be “financially distressed” or “unable to save money comfortably” if they didn’t - that is easily verified by looking up new grad salaries and rents in the Bay Area. It’s simply a rational decision - these are people who were living with roommates in college and by continuing that arrangement can save more, live in a better location w/ more amenities, and quite often share a place with friends - win/win/win.
  - rayiner 8y ago
    > It’s simply a rational decision - these are people who were living with roommates in college and by continuing that arrangement can save more, live in a better location w/ more amenities, and quite often share a place with friends - win/win/win. That's true everywhere. Yet the overwhelming majority choose not to have roommates.
    - dnautics 8y ago
      There's selection bias in your analysis. People who are attracted to big cities are more likely to enjoy the company of living with other people, and vice versa.

rayiner 8y ago

Only 16% of adults nationwide live with a roommate or other non-relative, and that number is declining since 1995: http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/01/31/more-adults-now-share-their-living-space-driven-in-part-by-parents-living-with-their-adult-children http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/01/31/more-adults-....

pedrosorio 8y ago
You stated: “People do it because they're financially distressed (relative to their locality). They can't both live alone and save money comfortably.” This is false for software engineers in the Bay Area. Can they save more by living with roommates? Sure. But they wouldn’t be “financially distressed” or “unable to save money comfortably” if they didn’t - that is easily verified by looking up new grad salaries and rents in the Bay Area. It’s simply a rational decision - these are people who were living with roommates in college and by continuing that arrangement can save more, live in a better location w/ more amenities, and quite often share a place with friends - win/win/win.
- rayiner 8y ago
  > It’s simply a rational decision - these are people who were living with roommates in college and by continuing that arrangement can save more, live in a better location w/ more amenities, and quite often share a place with friends - win/win/win. That's true everywhere. Yet the overwhelming majority choose not to have roommates.
  - dnautics 8y ago
    There's selection bias in your analysis. People who are attracted to big cities are more likely to enjoy the company of living with other people, and vice versa.