Age profile rising as attitudes to shared living change

Four in ten (40.0%) of those living in HMOs are now aged 30 or above, up from 32.4% last year, according to a survey of 5,000 UK house sharers by Coho. Of these, the number of those aged 45 or above has also increased, up from 7.1% to 9.3%.

Coho’s Shared Living Report 2026 found that nearly half (47.9%) were house sharing in order to live in their chosen area and more than two-thirds (67%) said it helped them save money. However, more than half (55.4%) said shared living is a choice rather than a financial necessity.

By area, around half of residents surveyed in Oxford (50.2%) and London (49.7%) were in the 30-plus age group, while the age profile is lower in cities such as Liverpool and Bristol.

HMO tenant profile changes

Vann Vogstad, founder and CEO of COHO, said: “The profile of today’s house sharer also challenges many long-held stereotypes of HMO renters. Our research found that among those aged 30 and over, 89% are in paid employment, while across the wider sector 63% work full-time, just under 8% are part-time and around 4% are self-employed. Sharers are also split almost evenly by gender.”

The report showed changing attitudes towards house-sharing. Three-quarters (75.6%) of current sharers said they were comfortable telling people they live in a shared home, and six-in-ten (61%) would recommend house sharing to others. More than four in ten (41.1%) have no plans to move.

“The idea that shared living is only for students is increasingly out of date,” said Vogstad. “Rising rents, higher housing costs and the challenge of saving for a deposit mean more working professionals are turning to house sharing later in life. It provides an affordable alternative to living alone, while also offering social benefits and a sense of community; no longer viewed as a temporary stopgap for many.”