Should college dorm-style living be the next big housing trend?

As of 2017, 33.4 percent of American citizens had completed a bachelor’s degree at a

four-year university, and the National Center for Education Statistics estimates that by the year

2027, 17.4 million students will be enrolled in undergraduate programs across the country. It is

becoming increasingly common for individuals to pursue post-

secondary education in the United States. As a result, the general population is becoming increasingly familiar with “the dorm life.”

Many university students opt to reside in on-campus housing in order to mitigate the cost

of living, meet fellow university students, and eliminate the need for transportation to and from

lectures. College graduates often describe their time occupying on-campus housing as a very

positive and valuable experience, and frequently state that it offered them a smoother transition

into adulthood.

It is generally extremely rare in the United States to find communal style living, similar

to that of college dormitories, available outside of a university context. However, this may

change in the near future. In response to the increasingly preventative cost of living in urban

areas with thriving tech industries such as San Francisco and Seattle, urban developers such as

Brad Hargreaves, CEO of Common, and Jon Dishotsky, CEO of Starcity, have created a new

housing trend that has been coined “Co-living.”

Co-living is a newfangled real estate trend that strongly resembles the living

arrangements found on university campuses across the nation. With the average rent for a studio

apartment in San Francisco currently standing at a staggering $2461, and the average cost of a 3

bedroom unit resting at $5143, a growing number of young professionals, from tech industries in

particular, are choosing to opt for communal kitchens and bathrooms in lieu of more traditional

apartment units. A bed in one of Common’s Bay Area residences, for instance, can be secured

for as little as $1500.

In a survey conducted by Cigna, an American health services organization, 54 percent of

respondents reported feeling that “no one knows them well, and four in 10 reported that they

‘lack companionship.’” Respondents also reported feeling “isolated from others,” and that their

“relationships aren’t meaningful.”

The American Public Health Association has stated that the “loneliness epidemic” in the

United States presents a threat to the public well being greater than that of the obesity epidemic.

Licensed psychologist, Guy Winch P.h.D., went so far as to state that loneliness presents “as

great a risk to our long-term health and longevity as cigarette smoking.” Winch has stated that

the negative health effects associated with loneliness are comparable to that of smoking 15

cigarettes per day.

Research suggests that perceived feelings of isolation has a direct correlation with risk of

heart attacks, strokes, Alzheimer’s disease, substance abuse, eating disorders, alcoholism, weight

problems, high stress levels, depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, and increased difficulty

recovering from cancer. Studies have also suggested that social engagement may decrease one’s

risk for developing dementia later in life. Individuals have also reported that low levels of

motivation associated with feelings of isolation can interfere with their careers as well as their

ability to carry out day to day activities.

Many college graduates report that the time commitment and responsibilities associated

with their respective careers make it difficult to build and maintain social connections following

their time at university. Numerous residents of co-living communities, however, have reported

that despite initially seeking co-living style housing as a temporary accommodation, they soon

considered it a realistic long-term housing situation, often stating that co-living offered them an

increased sense of belonging and social connectedness. Individuals also frequently state that

living in close proximity with young professionals attempting to launch startup enterprises and

pursue various career ambitions increased their levels of motivation with regard to their own

endeavors.

According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, suicide is the tenth

leading cause of death in the United States, having claimed 47,173 lives in 2017. Despite

increased social isolation being considered a major precursor to suicide by psychiatric

professionals, it is a common trend in the United States for young professionals to live alone,

with 28 percent of the populace opting to do so in 2017. Co-living is a quickly growing trend in

the United States, and this eccentric approach to housing may be the solution to a public health

crisis that is devastating the nation.