About 2.6 million U.S. parents provided $26.6 billion in financial support to 3.7 million children aged 21 or over who lived outside their households in 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2025 Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP).
The figure does not take into account money parents spent on adult children living at home. In 2024, 58.3% of men and 56.4% of women ages 18 to 34 lived with their parents.
The SIPP is the only survey that asks for detailed information on support provided to specific people who live outside the household, the number of people supported and annual amounts.
The Census Bureau said the support was voluntary and could be given in a lump sum or in regular payments throughout the year. Adult children may use this parental support to cover bills, food and other expenses.
The agency said additional information is available on who provides support to adult children and on historical patterns in parental support over the past decade.
Separately, the Census Bureau noted that less than 25 percent of 25- to 34-year-olds lived outside their parental home, worked, were married and had kids in 2024, down from almost half in 1975.