(KRON) -- A recent college graduate, Brendan Liaw went on "Jeopardy!" last May and was introduced in a unique way. Typically, each contestant is introduced with their job profession. With a job in the traditional sense, the game show host -- at the contestant's request -- introduced Liaw as a "stay- at-home son." Like many things on the internet, this concept went viral and was infused into people's colloquial vocabulary. It later morphed into a more social media-friendly term. "Trad son." While there is no formal definition of who exactly falls under this category, a "trad son" is described as a young man who lives with his parents and typically live rent free -- the antithesis of men in previous generations who traditionally headed households of their own. These men aren't necessarily unemployed but are choosing to live in the comfort of their parents' home and pushing back the responsibilities and expectations of traditional male adulthood. Men who carry these attributes might be the most prevalent in this Bay Area city: Vallejo. According to the Pew Research Center, Vallejo has the highest share of 25-to-34-year-olds living at home with their parents among the 258 U.S. metros analyzed. The report was published in May of 2025, with data as of 2023, but did not specify whether that was men or women. However, a Pew Research Center study states that young men are more likely to live at home than their female counterparts. PGE electricity rates are down — but your bill might not be Pew Research Center The Guardian recently spoke to several so-called "trad sons" in Vallejo. Reasons to live with their parents are not necessarily limited to being unemployed, per the report. Other factors include cultural traditions, particularly among Asian, Hispanic and Black households. Those three racial groups are more likely to live with their parents than their white counterparts, according to Pew Research Center. Vallejo's largest racial group is Hispanic (29%), followed by Asian (23%), white (22%) and Black (18%), city data shows. Some of that is culture, and some of that is financial hardships in today's economy. College degree holders between ages 22 and 27 are facing one of the worst job markets in 12 years (excluding the pandemic), per The Associated Press. The Guardian also highlights crime issues the city of Vallejo has faced through the years. Some men, including one the outlet interviewed, elect to stay with their families, fearing for their safety. One 30-year-old Hispanic man told The Guardian he fears his father can be "tormented" by ICE at any moment. Upon going viral, the "trad son" concept has garnered pushback from public figures like Sherri Shepherd, who posted to her million TikTok followers her stance on the concept. "Not in my house!" the talk show host said. In the online community, TikTok influencers, "The Famileigh," laud the trad son concept and living rent-free with their parents. Others like Shaavir Noorani, a TikTok influencer with more than 260K followers, have made their digital persona by celebrating being a trad son. ‘Soft Clubbing’ is redefining nightlife in major cities like San Francisco Why is it called "trad son"? The term is a play on words from the "traditional wife." In an era of young millennial/Gen Z men, gender roles aren't as strictly defined as they once were in previous generations. The days of only men being the breadwinners and women running the household are over. Instead of the traditional wife who stays at home doing the housework, that role has been reversed to a new generation of men. The trad son would take on the household responsibilities such as cooking, cleaning and other chores. In exchange, they would live in their parents' home rent-free or with minimal financial requirements. Pew Research Center methodology "The analysis by metropolitan area is based on 258 metros with sufficient data. It excludes 25- to 34-year-olds living in other metros and in nonmetropolitan areas. The young adults residing in these 258 metros account for 81% of all U.S. 25- to 34-year-olds," Pew Research Center wrote. Pew Research Center's full methodology for the data can be found on its website. The Associated Press contributed to this report. ...read more read less