Age norms on leaving home: multilevel evidence from the European Social Survey

Young people leave the parental home at different ages, and such differences exist both between and within societies. International comparisons have emphasised the importance of institutions, in particular the welfare regime, the educational system and the labour market, as well as of long-standing cultural differences. Here we focus on subjective age norms (“age deadlines”) for leaving home, a key determinant of actual behaviour. We analyse the data of a unique multi-country dataset, the third round of the European Social Survey (ESS), through a series of multi-level regression models where simultaneously country, regional, and individual-level factors come into play. We find strong normative differences between countries, and significant, though lower, regional-level variation. Norms are significantly influenced by country-level “institutional” factors, as well as by regional-level “cultural” factors.