As many as 89.1 percent of young people aged 16 to 29 live with their parents, the highest share in the European Union, according to data from the Croatian Bureau of Statistics released on International Youth Day.
The average age at which young Croatians leave their parental home has reached 31.5 years, the highest average in the entire European Union, according to the latest statistical report from the Croatian Bureau of Statistics (DZS) released on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, to mark International Youth Day. As many as 89.1 percent of people aged 16 to 29 still live under the same roof as their parents, firmly placing Croatia in an unenviable first place in the Union.
At the top of the list, alongside Croatia, are Greece and Slovakia, where young people leave their parents at an average age of 30.9 years. They are followed by Spain and Italy, with an average of 30.2 years. The data clearly outline a Mediterranean pattern of later independence, which is regularly associated with economic conditions, the state of the real estate market, and deeply rooted cultural norms.
The demographic trends presented in the DZS report are even more concerning. According to the 2021 Census, people aged 15 to 29 accounted for only 15.8 percent of Croatia's total population, while two decades earlier that share was significantly higher at 20.3 percent, vividly illustrating the rapid aging of the nation and the continuous decline in the number of young people.
Despite the challenges, positive developments are emerging. The youth employment rate in Croatia increased from 35.5 percent to 43.6 percent between 2015 and 2025, but it still lags behind the European Union average, which rose from 44.7 percent to 49 percent over the same period. Similar progress is visible on the unemployment front, with the rate among young people falling from a high of 29.8 percent in 2015 to 12.7 percent in 2025, while across the EU the decline was slightly milder, from 17.6 percent to 11.7 percent.
Emigration remains a key issue. During 2025, a total of 37,485 people left Croatia, with young people aged 15 to 29 accounting for 11,232 of that number, or nearly a third of all emigrants. Their share has increased compared to a decade earlier, when it stood at 27.4 percent.
Croatia's educational landscape reveals an interesting paradox. Among people aged 20 to 29, only 2.7 percent have not completed secondary school, which is drastically below the EU average of 13.6 percent, and as many as 70 percent of young Croatians have completed secondary education, significantly above the Union average of 54.1 percent. However, when it comes to higher education, Croatia, at 27.3 percent, significantly lags behind the European average of 32.3 percent.
The date of August 12 has become a symbol of the international community's commitment to creating policies and programs that support young people and their specific needs. This year's slogan for International Youth Day, "Different Contexts, Shared Aspirations," highlights that young people, regardless of their different life circumstances, share similar aspirations for better education, better employment opportunities, and greater inclusion in society, the DZS concludes.
