Can Young People Still Afford to Be Independent?

The Crisis of Independence: Can Young People Still Make It?

In Berkeley, California, the median rent for a modest apartment has crept up toward $3,300 per month. Owning a small, single-family home? That’ll cost you north of $1 million—and a household income above $200,000 just to qualify for a loan.

That’s the reality in one American city. But the same pattern is playing out across the country. So it begs the question: how does a young person build an independent life in 2025?

This isn’t just about housing. It’s about work. It’s about AI. It’s about economic systems that promise opportunity but increasingly feel like they’ve been rigged to protect the top while leaving everyone else to fend for themselves.

At Bountisphere, we think a lot about what it means to build a stable, empowered financial life. So today, we’re diving into this question: can young people still afford to be independent?

The Youth Employment Picture in 2025

As of May 2025, the U.S. unemployment rate sits at 4.2%. But for young adults (ages 22–27), it’s significantly higher: around 5.8%. For teenagers, it spikes to 13.4%. That means even as the job market remains relatively strong on the surface, young people are still struggling to find stable work.

And when they do? Many entry-level jobs are low-paying, unstable, and in some cases, already being restructured or replaced by artificial intelligence.

The AI Question: Friend or Foe?

AI is already transforming the labor market. Some fear it will displace up to 50% of entry-level white-collar jobs by 2030. Others, like the World Economic Forum, are more optimistic: they estimate AI will displace 85 million jobs by 2025—but create 97 million new ones.

The truth probably lies somewhere in between. AI is excellent at automating routine tasks. That means jobs in data entry, customer support, and even some finance roles are being rapidly restructured. But AI also creates demand for roles that require judgment, empathy, or hands-on skill.

That brings us to a surprising trend: more young people are choosing skilled trades.

Gen Z Is Choosing the Trades

According to recent data, 42% of Gen Z workers are entering or training for skilled trades—like plumbing, carpentry, electrical work, and HVAC. Even among Gen Z college graduates, over 37% are pivoting into trades.

Why? Because trades offer:

• Stability: These jobs are in constant demand, regardless of AI.
• Lower debt: Many avoid the crushing student loans tied to four-year degrees.
• Autonomy: Skilled tradespeople often start their own businesses or work on flexible schedules.
• Tangible value: There’s pride in building, fixing, and helping people directly.

This is more than a trend—it’s a signal. Young people want meaningful work, and they want it to pay enough to support a life.

The Gig Economy’s Broken Promise

For a while, the gig economy promised flexibility and freedom. But the reality has proven more fragile:

• Low pay and no benefits
• Algorithmic control over hours and rates
• Unpredictable income with no path to advancement

The gig economy was marketed as entrepreneurship—but it often feels more like piecemeal survival.

The Government–Capitalism Conundrum

What makes this moment so complex is the growing sense that government and large corporations are aligned in protecting existing power structures.

We see this in:

• Regulations that are too complex or expensive for small businesses and startups
• Tax breaks and subsidies that benefit megacorporations more than local entrepreneurs
• Fee structures (like Berkeley’s new $6 entrance fee to the marina) that burden everyday people

The result? It’s harder than ever for young people to build something of their own. We say “be your own boss,” but we’ve set up a system that makes that incredibly difficult without massive capital or connections.

So What’s the Way Forward?

Let’s not get stuck in the doom spiral. There are promising developments, and some come from young people themselves.

1. Worker-Owned Cooperatives

Imagine Uber drivers who own the platform. Or electricians who run a shared scheduling app. These models are growing—slowly but steadily—as alternatives to exploitative gig platforms.

2. Portable Benefits

In some states and cities, there are efforts underway to offer healthcare and retirement benefits that follow the worker, not the employer. This allows for flexibility without sacrificing stability.

3. AI as a Partner

At Bountisphere, we use AI not to replace people—but to amplify human ability. Our Money Coach helps people budget, plan, and understand their money without shame. Tools like these help people spend less time stressing and more time creating the lives they want.

4. Economic Models That Support Meaning

People want more than survival. They want to paint, write, garden, travel. They want work that means something, not just a paycheck. That means reimagining our systems—not just around jobs, but around how we define success.

A New Vision for Independence

Here’s what financial independence could look like in 2025 and beyond:

• Affordable housing or co-housing models
• Skilled trade careers combined with entrepreneurship
• Worker-owned platforms instead of extractive tech monopolies
• Public policy that encourages innovation at all levels, not just among VC-backed companies

We won’t build that future overnight. But it starts with naming the problem and refusing to pretend that “working harder” is the only solution.

What Bountisphere Believes

At Bountisphere, we’re building for people who want more control, more clarity, and more confidence with their money. Our platform was made for the modern worker—whether you’re in a trade, freelancing, teaching, or launching your own small business.

You deserve tools that help you succeed on your terms. That’s what we’re here for.

Because independence shouldn’t be a luxury. It should be possible.