“You’re Wrong About SA”: UK Man Reveals Average Age Children Leave Home in 5 Countries, SA Divided

• A UK TikTok creator ranked five countries by the average age at which young adults leave their parents' homes, placing South Africa third at 26
• The clip sparked a debate, with South African viewers divided on whether the figure accurately reflects life at home
• Many South Africans joked that some children never actually leave, while others shared that they moved out as teenagers

A UK-based content creator set off a lively online debate after ranking five countries by the average age young adults leave the family home — and South Africa's position on the list surprised locals. TikTok user @maxjefferytalks shared the video on 28 August 2026, laying out the countries in ascending order.

The USA and Thailand both came in at age 25, with young people in those countries typically moving out for work or independence. South Africa followed at 26, where the creator noted locals tend to be split between staying home and striking out on their own. Vietnam ranked fourth at 27, driven by traditional family values that often keep adult children at home until marriage.

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South Africa's number sparks pushback

Turkey topped the list at 28, with cultural norms sometimes seeing young adults remain even after they have started families of their own. The South Africa figure drew the most reaction in the comments. Many viewers were quick to argue the number was far too low, pointing to economic realities and cultural ties that keep many South Africans under their parents' roofs well into adulthood — or indefinitely. Others pushed back the other way, saying they had left home as teenagers.

Watch the TikTok video that sparked the debate below:

Mzansi reacts to the ranking

The reactions highlight how varied the experience truly is, shaped by race, class, and whether someone is moving permanently or simply relocating for work while still sending money back home. South Africans flooded the comments with their own experiences:

@Tsabile Maseko said:

"In South Africa, we sometimes don't leave; we die there."

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@Lyda Sebotao wrote:

"Which South Africa? My uncle is 61 and still lives with my grandmother."

@Angela Papadopoulos Ray disagreed:

"I don't agree. I'm from South Africa, and my daughter left home at 18 and my son at 20."

@shivpitay336 was blunt:

"You are wrong about South Africa."

@DMR offered context:

"Black South Africans don't leave home in our context; we relocate to the city to make money."

@mike bosch shared his own story:

"I'm a South African white man. I left home at 18 to go and work."

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Source: Briefly News