A buddy of mine, Eddie Yoon, was recently interviewed on the Charles Schwab Network. Eddie's a growth strategist who studies consumer behavior, and he shared some data points that got me thinking about how they might apply to our industry.
One stat in particular he mentioned, multi-generational households in the U.S. have nearly tripled since 1971. Not doubled, but tripled. Thats about 59.7 million Americans now living with multiple generations under one roof. That’s 18% of the entire population.¹
This got me thinking about who our clients actually are, will be and where they're coming from.
The Laundromat Client Profile
Let's start with what we know about who uses our laundromats.
About 60% of laundromat clients are renters.² Most live within a mile of the facility—some data suggests as high as 87%.³ The median household income hovers around $28,000.⁴ And adults aged 18-34 make up a notable chunk of the client base.
That last point matters. Because the 18-34 demographic is exactly where these shifts are happening.
Two Forces Reshaping That Profile
Force One: Young adults demanding in unit laundry.
According to Apartments.com, 78% of young renters now say in unit laundry is "non-negotiable" when searching for an apartment.⁵ Not preferred, a non-negotiable for them.
Developers are responding to this. In 2024, 88% of newly completed apartments included individual laundry facilities. Only 12% had shared or no laundry facilities.⁶
Think about what that means for a second. The apartment buildings going up today are being built for renters who won't need laundromats as their primary source for laundering their clothes. They might still come in for comforters, bedding, and items that don't fit in a residential machine. But that's occasional use, not weekly visits. The frequency drops.
Force Two: Young adults staying home longer.
Here's where that Eddie Yoon data comes back. Pew Research found that 25% of adults aged 25-34 now live in multi-generational households. In 1971, that number was 9%.⁷
For the 25-29 age group specifically, it's even higher, 31% live with parents or grandparents.⁸
The reasons found are mostly financial. Housing costs, student debt, wages that haven't kept pace, and caregiving responsibilities going both directions. These aren't lazy kids in basements. They're adults making rational economic decisions in a housing market that's priced them out.
Here's where it gets interesting for us. This same generation facing