“I’ll Find My Place. It’s Going to Take Some Time,Though”: Neighborhood Place Attachment in Emerging Adulthood

Abstract

Neighborhood influences on emerging adulthood (ages 18–29) remain understudied despite their role in shaping identity, independence, and health. This qualitative study examines neighborhood place attachment during this life stage using seated and mobile “go-along” interviews from the Neighborhood and Health at All Ages Study. The analysis focuses on a theory-driven subsample of 14 emerging adults in Minneapolis-St. Paul (MN), analyzed using inductive reflexive thematic analysis with coding, debriefing, and triangulation of interview and observational data. Participants represented diverse racial/ethnic, gender, and sexual identities; analyses explored shared processes rather than subgroup comparisons. Three themes were identified: neighborhoods as foundations of belonging, gateways to independence, and sites of identity formation. Attachment depended less on residential permanence than on alignment between developmental needs and neighborhood opportunities. Findings highlight how mobility, accessibility, and socially welcoming local environments support transitions to adulthood and suggest planning approaches that foster belonging during periods of life transition.

Keywords

emerging adulthood life course neighborhood effects health geography place attachment

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