Neolocality

Neolocality is a postmarital residence pattern in which a newly married couple establishes a separate household independent of both sets of parents and other extended kin. The term combines neo- (new) with locality and is often discussed alongside other residence patterns such as patrilocality (residence with the husband’s family) and matrilocality (residence with the wife’s family).

In practice, neolocality is common in many modern industrial and urban societies, particularly in North America and parts of Europe, but it is not universal. Its prevalence varies by culture, religion, socioeconomic status, and urbanization level. Some communities maintain extended-family co-residence or adopt neolocal arrangements only among certain subgroups, such as specific social classes or immigrant communities.

Drivers commonly include economic independence, dual-income households, housing access, education, and individual choice. Urbanization and greater mobility facilitate the formation of new households away from kin networks, reinforcing neolocal patterns.

Implications of neolocality include greater autonomy for the nuclear family and changes in kin-based support structures. This can affect childrearing practices, inheritance expectations, and social obligations, while potentially shifting household economics, neighborhood formation, and reliance on external institutions for services such as childcare or elder care.

Scholars study neolocality as part of broader analyses of postmarital residence patterns and family organization. The pattern coexists with other forms in different contexts and can evolve over time with modernization, migration, and changing cultural norms.