Do the Profiles of Co-Residing Unmarried Adults Change over Time in Taiwan? Evidence from Nationally Representative Surveys from 2006 to 2021.

Ying-Ting Wang, Yuan Ze University

This study examines the factors associated with co-residence among unmarried adults in Taiwan from 2006 to 2021, using data from the Taiwan Social Change Survey. The proportion of unmarried adults living with their parents remained stable between 84-86% from 2006 to 2016 but dropped to 71.5% in 2021. Despite this decline, significant differences between co-residents and non-co-residents persisted. Personal and parental education levels were mostly unrelated to co-residence patterns over time, indicating that educational attainment did not significantly influence these living arrangements. Compared to non-co-residents, co-residents were more likely to engage in downward financial exchanges, receiving support without giving. However, many co-residents participated in either upward transfers, giving money to their parents without receiving any, or reciprocal exchanges, where both sides provided mutual support—challenging the perception of heavy dependency. Regional differences also emerged, with co-residents increasingly living in low-development areas, while non-co-residents were concentrated in metropolitan regions. These findings suggest that co-residence involves complex intergenerational exchanges and is not merely a reflection of economic dependency. Further research is needed to explore the structural and socio-economic factors influencing these trends in Taiwan.

Keywords: Families, Unions and Households, Older Adults and Intergenerational Relations

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