疫情惹的禍？30歲以下美國成人與父母同住比例創八十年新高

新冠肺炎疫情迫使人們待在家裏，也迫使許多人回到了父母的家。皮尤研究中心的數據顯示，美國30歲以下的成人有超半數與父母同住，其中選擇在疫情期間搬回家住的美國年輕白人最多。

The number of young adults living with their parents hit an eight-decade high in July, as the pandemic’s disruption of jobs hit young generations particularly hard.

與父母同住的美國年輕成人數量在七月份達到了八十年來的最高峯，因爲疫情對年輕一代的就業打擊尤爲嚴重。

More than half of adults under 30 (52%), or 26.6 million, are living with one or both of their parents as of July, according to a study of Census data from Pew Research Center. That’s up from 47% in February and exceeds the previous high of 48% in 1940, according to Census data.

根據皮尤研究中心對美國人口普查數據的一項研究，超半數的30歲以下成人（52%，2660萬）在七月份與父母或父母的其中一方同住，打破了1940年48%的紀錄，二月份這一比例是47%。

It’s also the highest recorded level from the Census dating back to 1900, but no data is available from the Great Depression, which likely was worse, according to Pew.

皮尤研究中心稱，這也是1900年以來記錄在案的史上最高水平，但是大蕭條時期的數據無從獲取，那時候可能情況更糟。

"For the most part, nobody wants to be living at home with mom and dad,” said Jeremy Sopko, CEO of Nations Lending Corporation, a mortgage lender. “It's a difficult situation that's been exacerbated by the pandemic and it may take years, if not the better part of a decade, for younger demographics to recover and be financially stable enough to leave home.”

國家貸款公司的首席執行官傑里米·索普科說：“在大多數情況下，沒人想和父母住一起。疫情讓本就艱難的局勢雪上加霜，年輕人可能需要數年，也可能七八年，才能恢復過來，財務狀況才能穩定到可以離家自立。”

Growth was sharpest for those between 18 and 24, which increased from 63% living at home in February to 71% in July. The number of households headed by an 18- to 19-year-olds declined by 1.9 million, or 12%, between February and July 2020.

18歲到24歲的年輕人與父母同住的比例上升得最厲害，從二月份的63%上升到七月份的71%。2020年二月到七月間，18歲到19歲的自己居住的年輕人數量減少了190萬，下降了12%。

Notably, the change is not because of college closures in the spring. The Census data already considers unmarried students who live in campus dorms as living in the family home.

值得注意的是，這一改變不是因爲大學在春季關閉。普查數據已經將住在大學宿舍裏的未婚學生視爲住在父母家裏。

But the rapid rise in unemployment does correlate with the increase in young people living at home, according to Pew. The percentage share of 16- to 24-year-olds who are neither in school or employed increased more than two-fold to 28% in June from February, when it was 11%.

但是皮尤研究中心指出，失業率的快速增長確實與住在父母家的年輕人數量增加有關。既不是學生也沒有工作的16歲到24歲的年輕人比例從二月（11%）到六月（28%）增加了一倍多。

"Unfortunately you've got a slew of factors working against the younger demographics in this country right now,” Sopko said. “You have to take into account two huge factors: massive student loan debt and a lack of available work, especially in service fields, hospitality, and the travel sectors.”

索普科說：“不幸的是，現在美國有許多因素都對年輕人不利。你必須考慮兩大因素：鉅額的助學貸款債務和缺乏工作機會，尤其在服務業、酒店業和旅遊業。”

a slew of: 大量的

Similarly, 18- to 24-year-olds had the highest unemployment rates in July than any other age groups. The rate was 19.8% for 18- to 19-year-olds, after spiking to 34.3% in April. It was slightly lower at 18.3% in July for 20- to 24-year-olds, following a jump to 25.7% in April, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

同樣，18歲到24歲人羣在七月份的失業率比其他任何年齡段的人都要高。根據美國勞工統計局的數據，18歲到19歲人羣的失業率是19.8%，四月份曾經飆至34.3%。20歲到24歲人羣的失業率在七月份略低，爲18.3%，四月份曾高達25.7%。

But unemployment only explains part of the increase in living at home.

但是失業只能部分解釋年輕人與父母同住比例增加。

"The relatively large increase in non-Hispanic white young adults living with parents compared with young adults of other racial and ethnic backgrounds was unexpected,” said Richard Fry, senior researcher of the study at Pew Research Center. “Earlier Pew research shows that the job losses associated with the pandemic were less severe for whites.”

該研究的高級研究員、皮尤研究中心的理查德·弗萊說：“非西班牙裔的白種年輕成人與父母同住比例相比其他種族的年輕成人增幅更大讓人感到意外。先前的皮尤研究顯示，白人所遭受的與疫情相關的失業沒那麼嚴重。”

Historically, white young adults were less likely to live with their parents than Asian, Black and Hispanic young people. But Pew found that gap has shrunk since February as white young adults moved back home at a faster rate than their Asian, Black, and Hispanic counterparts. White Americans accounted for more than two-thirds of the increase.

歷史上，白種年輕成人相比亞裔、非裔和西班牙裔的年輕人更不可能與父母同住。但是皮尤研究中心發現，自從二月份以來，這一差距已經縮小了，因爲白種年輕成人搬回家住的比例相比亞裔、非裔和西班牙裔的同齡人更大。在搬回家住的年輕人中，美國白人的比例超三分之二。

The move back home could be more of a lifestyle choice during the pandemic for some young adults, rather than a financial necessity after a job loss, said Brent Cohen, executive director of Generation Progress, a research and advocacy center for young people.

爲年輕人倡導權益的研究中心Generation Progress的執行理事布倫特·科恩稱，疫情期間搬回家住對一些年輕成人而言可能更多的是生活方式的選擇，而不是失業後因經濟困難而不得不同住。

“For those who were working remotely, this was likely a short-term move so that they weren’t alone in their apartments when social distancing measures were put in place,” Cohen said. “But, what was expected by many to last two to four weeks, has now extended for nearly six months.”

科恩說：“對那些遠程工作的人來說，這可能是短時間的同住，目的是在社交隔離措施實行期間不會孤獨一人待在公寓裏。但是，許多人原以爲只是住個兩到四周，現在卻延長到了近六個月。”