Jayson Pohl

Amid rising concern about housing affordability for younger Canadians, this article investigates the housing market outcomes of millennials compared with Gen-Xers and baby boomers at a similar age (25 to 39 years). Using Census of Population data from 1991, 2006 and 2021, this article examines shifts in the housing market outcomes of each generational cohort in relation to moving out of the parental home, forming families and homeownership status.

Key findings

• In 2021, the share of millennials aged 25 to 39 living in a census family with parents (16.3%) was around twice the share of baby boomers of the same age in 1991 (8.2%). This trend has occurred gradually over time and is common to the large cities studied.
• After accounting for those living with their parents, millennials had the lowest rate of homeownership (49.9%), compared with Gen-Xers (56.2%) and baby boomers (55.9%) when they were aged 25 to 39 years.
• Fewer millennials aged 25 to 39 were married with children (26.6%) compared with Gen-Xers (34.5%) and baby boomers (46.6%) when they were the same age―the household type with the highest rate of homeownership historically.
• Millennial homeowners, after accounting for those living with their parents, were less likely to live in single-detached houses relative to earlier generations, especially those living in Toronto and Vancouver.

https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/46-28-0001/2026001/article/00001-eng.htm