If my sister had her way, my niece would never leave home. Thankfully, my 18-year-old niece managed to escape to college this year.

But some families are struggling financially and parents and their young adult children are forced to double up. The U.S. Census Bureau today released new data that showed the number of “double-up households” rose by 2 million from 2007 to 21.8 million by spring 2011.

As of this spring, 5.9 million people age 25 to 34 lived with their parent’s, up from 4.7 million before the recession.

Without their parents’ assistance, more than 45 percent of these young adults would be in poverty. With their parents, the poverty rate for this group is only 8.4 percent.

Would be interested to hear from readers if they are doubling up and how that’s working out.