Some 11.5% of people in shared living properties are aged 40 or older, it’s being claimed. 

While house sharing is most commonly associated with young people – from students through to young professionals making their first forays into the world of work – internal data from the company COHO reveals that the shared living is actually far more diverse than most people would think.

Researchers canvassed 4,500 who describe their current living situation as house sharing and found that 11.5% of them are aged 40 or above. Of those over-40s, 55.7% were male, and 44.1% female.

The data also reveals that Southampton is the UK’s over-40 house sharing hotspot, with the coastal city accounting for 20.2% of all people aged 40+ who lived in shared accommodation.

The second largest proportion are located in London (19.8%), followed by Leeds (4.9%), Manchester (4.5%), Portsmouth (4.1%), Coventry (3.5%), Birmingham (3.1%), Plymouth (3.1%), Reading (2.9%), and Oxford (2.7%).

A COHO spokesperson says: “Modern co-living is a world apart from what it used to be. For decades, HMOs have been associated with young people who are looking for an affordable home while they find their way in the world, or those who simply can’t let go of the hedonistic days of university.  Today, this simply isn’t true.

“Co-living has evolved into a lifestyle choice rather than an economic necessity, and we’re seeing more and more people in their 30s, 40s, and even 50s actively choosing to live with housemates … Trust me, It won’t be long at all before house sharing for over 40 is considered an absolute norm. It’s the modern way.”