Living As A Couple, But Each At Home

Until now , the decision to live together in the same house was considered one of the definitive steps in the consolidation of a couple. Sharing space, routines and, sometimes, common goods was the turning point towards a consolidated relationship.

However, today there is an increasing number of people who decide to prolong this decision, despite maintaining stable relationships. In some way, this seems to indicate that a percentage of society is learning to enjoy living alone, although it is true that others make this decision for other reasons.

According to the latest studies , this situation is global in nature, at least in the West, and furthermore, it is not exclusive to a specific country or community. In fact, 35% of people who live alone have reported that they are in a stable romantic situation, but without cohabitation.

These data do not vary excessively between men and women, the latter being the most numerous by just 1%. Now, what does seem to be a crucial factor is age, rather than gender. Thus, it seems that older people are less influenced by social pressures to form a couple and live with them.

Data by age

Among people over 51 who start new romantic relationships, only 22% report that among their future plans is the idea of ​​sharing a home with their current partner. Most of them consider it important to maintain their lifestyle without affecting the quality of their new relationship.

However, only half of the people who are between 31 and 40 years old today and who maintain stable romantic relationships consider living together in the next two years. On the other hand, at younger ages, not living together in the early stages of the relationship is considered a fundamental step, in addition to putting training and professional development before living as a couple.

What are the reasons why you do not want to live as a couple?

This phenomenon seems to respond to several reasons. Thus, the fact of having previously lived with another couple is the factor that is most related to the probability of living as a couple, but each at home.

Experience shows that living each one at home makes the members of the couple feel freer in the relationship and with the ability to make friends outside of it. They also feel less pressured by the conflicts of housework and financial affairs in common.

People who choose to live as a couple, but each at home report that they feel comfortable with preserving their privacy without giving up intimacy with their partners. Many of them consider this to be a less traumatic way to get out of a relationship as well, if that is the case.

Long-lasting couples

The funny thing is that this new way of understanding relationships does not seem to reduce their quality or duration. A high percentage of them are still together after 12 years of non-cohabiting relationship.

Perhaps the idea of ​​”having to find a partner” as one of the most pressing social requirements of past generations is being transformed. Everything seems to indicate that the way of understanding romantic relationships today is changing in many aspects. 

A new take on relationships

This new vision on romantic relationships is still taking hold. However, those who experience them affirm that it provides a greater sense of freedom, both at the level of choice and the opportunity for personal development, in contrast to conventional marriages.

Still, the concept of a relationship, that is, how it is perceived and what characteristics it has, is subjective. Hence, many other people do not fully agree with this new vision. It all depends on the link and its participants.

Now, is this the way to understand romantic relationships in the future? Will living together in the same house be relegated to the desire to form and raise a family? Are we witnessing for the first time the clear difference between the desire to have a partner and to have a family?

This last question seemed not to be clearly separated from the first until now. Although the truth is that there are many people who want to have a long-term partner, without creating a family. Without a doubt, something very profound is changing in our society.