Young women’s living arrangements in Mexico: Diversity, stability, and social stratification

This study examines diversity in the living arrangement trajectories of young Mexican women, focusing on social stratification and its change across cohorts. While previous research has documented isolated events in the transition to adulthood (e.g., union formation, childbearing), less is known about how these shape young women’s living arrangements in a Latin American context. Using data from the Encuesta Demográfica Retrospectiva (EDER), we apply sequence analysis to summarizing women’s living arrangement trajectories at ages 18–30 across cohorts born between 1962–1987 ( N = 9,341). We assess stratification by family socioeconomic status (SES) by examining how trajectories vary by parental education. Results reveal substantial heterogeneity in living arrangement trajectories, particularly in early vs. late family formation, single motherhood, and household context. Parents’ SES consistently predicts trajectory types: women from lower-SES families are more likely to experience early family formation, single motherhood, and extended family co-residence, while women from higher-SES families experience both delayed and early family transitions, including single motherhood in extended households. Cohort trends indicate persistent stratification in living arrangement trajectories over time by family background, with potential negative implications for the reproduction of social inequalities. We discuss family and household trajectories in a Latin American country, highlighting key differences from Global North contexts on which previous research has focused. • Living arrangement trajectories of young Mexican women are heterogeneous. • Parental SES shapes residential patterns. • Low SES women experience early family formation, single motherhood, and coresidence. • High SES women follow both delayed and early family transitions. • Cohort trends indicate persistent stratification despite educational expansion.