More young adults are packing up and moving back home with their parents.

Of men and women ages 18-24, 57 percent of men and 49 percent of women lived at home with their parents during 2010, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. These numbers are higher from those reported in 2005, when 53 percent of men and 46 percent of women in the same age group lived at home.

Senior Jocelyn McAlpine said she was not shocked by these results, especially since she plans to live at home until she decides where to finish her education.

“I feel that a lot of students have trouble finding affordable living, and they can live with their parents for free,” McAlpine said.

“Home is the best option until I make up my mind,” she added.

Senior John Hagan said he is “fine with moving back home” after graduation.

“I think it’s smart in some sense,” Hagan said. “I’m doing it so I can save up and buy my own place.”

Hagan said his sister was able to save money because she moved home after graduating from college.

“My sister did the same thing and she actually still lives at home. She’s 25, and she’s probably going to move out soon,” Hagan said. “She probably has more money than most of the kids her age just because she moved home.”

Senior Emily Molin said she is thankful to be able to move home.

“I’m grateful for two wonderful parents [who] will even allow me to move home,” Molin said. “It will be a transition for my parents and myself, since I’ve lived on campus in college all four years, and they’ve been empty nesters for a few years.”

Molin, who’s getting married in the spring of 2012, said moving home will help her save for the wedding.

“My fiancé and I would like to save as much money as possible,” Molin said. “It just makes sense to me that I should move home so I can focus on student teaching, applying for teaching jobs and planning my wedding.”

Senior Laura Zimmerman said she looks forward to living at home with her parents after graduation and being close to her friends.

“I feel great about moving back home. I get along with my parents really well,” she said. “I’m only about 25 minutes from the cities so I’ll still see all of my friends that live here or that are staying here after graduation.”

Zimmerman said moving back home with parents is the best financial decision a recent graduate could make.

“Right now I can’t see myself signing another lease when I don’t have a job for sure, and I don’t want to take out more loans just to live in the cities,” Zimmerman said. “Plus, I’m putting all of my paychecks into paying off my student loans in order to pay the least amount of interest.”

Bryan Helminiak, assistant director of Residence Life, said Residence Life does not keep track of any statistics on students living with their parents after graduation because the organization does “not ask students where they are moving after graduation.”

Jan Becker, program manager of the alumni association, said graduates can report their current residence to The Quad’s online directory, but there are no other records to track how many graduates are living with their parents.

Cynthia Johnson can be reached at john3175@stthomas.edu.