Residential independence: Race and ethnicity on the road to adulthood in two U.S. immigrant gateways

The living arrangements of young Americans offer a window not only on the transition to adult independence, but also on the incorporation of immigrants and minorities into U.S. society. Of particular interest is whether young people reside with parents or live apart. Focusing on the nation's two largest immigrant gateways, pooled data from the 2005–2007 American Community Surveys show that there are significant racial–ethnic differences, which are even more marked when immigrant generation is taken into account. Further analysis confirms that residential arrangements are related to adult social roles and personal resources, and controlling for roles and resources eliminates the Black-White gap in parental co-residence. Several predictors, such as personal income and marital status, display distinctive patterns for the different racial and ethnic groups.