No Credit Card, No Bank Account

As stores across the nation experiment with going cashless, they are shutting their doors on a significant share of the population—those without credit cards or bank accounts. Overall, 19 percent of adults (and their spouses) do not have a credit card and 6 percent do not have a bank account, according to a Federal Reserve Board survey. The share without credit cards or bank accounts is much higher in some demographic segments...

Percent without a credit card
39% of those with household incomes below $40,000
31% of those with no more than a high school diploma
32% of Blacks
28% of Hispanics

Percent without a bank account
14% of those with household income below $40,000
13% of those with no more than a high school diploma
14% of Blacks
11% of Hispanics

Source: Federal Reserve Board, Report on the Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2018 

Fans of Nature

Americans are big fans of nature. Nearly every adult (98 percent) agrees with the statement, "I take notice of the natural elements around me (trees, water, wildlife, etc.)," according to the General Social Survey. Almost as many (96 percent) agree that they "have easy access to natural environments, such as public parks, gardens or trails."

Getting out into nature is another matter. When the public is asked whether it agrees or disagrees with the statement, "I spend as much time as I would like in natural environments," more than one in three (35 percent) disagrees. Millions of Americans would like to spend more time in natural environments. Busy with career and family, Millennials and Gen Xers are most likely to say they do not spend as much time as they would like communing with nature.

"I spend as much time as I would like in natural environments" (percent disagreeing by generation)
Millennials: 38%
Gen Xers: 40%
Boomers: 30%
Older: 25%

Source: Demo Memo analysis of the 2018 General Social Survey

Growing Health Disparities by Educational Attainment

Education leads to better health for reasons not fully understood. An Urban Institute study takes a closer look at health disparities by educational attainment and trends over time. Using data from the National Health Interview Survey, the researchers examine the self-reported health of people aged 19 to 64, dividing the population into two groups—those with at least some college education and those with no college experience...

Percent of 19-to-64-year-olds with fair or poor health, 2017
Any college: 6.8%
No college: 16.8%

Percent of 19-to-64-year-olds with an activity limitation, 2017
Any college: 8.3%
No college: 17.2%

Percent of 19-to-64-year-olds who are obese, 2017
Any college: 29.3%
No college: 36.0%

Percent of 19-to-64-year-olds with moderate/severe psychological distress, 2017
Any college: 9.8%
No college: 15.9%

Health disparities by educational attainment have not only persisted for decades, the researchers find, but in many cases they are growing. Take activity limitations, for example. In 1999, there was a 6.2 percentage-point gap in the percentage with an activity limitation by educational attainment—14.4 percent of those with no college education versus 8.3 percent of those with any college experience. By 2017, the gap had grown to 8.9 percentage points because a larger share of the less educated (17.2 percent) reported an activity limitation. "Less-educated adults from all racial, ethnic, and geographic groups we studied have seen declines in health over time," the researchers conclude.

Source: Urban Institute, Education and Health: Long-Term Trends by Race, Ethnicity, and Geography, 1997–2017

Parents and Grown Children Talk a Lot

If you wonder why so many people have their noses stuck in their phones, they're probably talking to Mom or Dad. Thanks to the internet and smartphones, today's parents and their grown children talk a lot, according to the General Social Survey.

How much is a lot? Among adults with living parents, 36 percent communicate with a parent every day. Nearly two-thirds communicate with a parent at least several times a week. Here is the GSS survey question...

"Think about the parent you have contact with most frequently: How often do you have contact with that parent, either face-to-face, by phone, internet, or any other communication device?" (percent of those with living parents responding; excludes the 4 percent who live with a parent)
36% daily
25% several times a week
17% once a week
12% one to three times a month
10% less often

When the question is reversed, communication is even more frequent. Among Americans with adult children, nearly half (49 percent) communicate with a grown child every day. Fully 75 percent communicate with a grown child at least several times a week...

"Think about the adult child you have contact with most frequently: How often do you have contact with this child at least 18, either face-to-face, by phone, internet, or any other communication device?" (percent of those with adult children responding; excludes the 2 percent who live with an adult child)
49% daily
26% several times a week
11% once a week
  9% one to three times a month
  5% less often

What does most of this communication look like? Noses stuck in phones. All or most contact with family occurs via phone, texting, or through the internet, reports the 54 percent majority of the public.

Source: Demo Memo analysis of the General Social Survey

How Many Men Have Ever Been Arrested?

A surprisingly large number of men have ever been arrested, according to a Bureau of Labor Statistics study. To determine how the arrest and incarceration status of men affects their employment prospects, the BLS analyzed data from the 2015–16 iteration of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997. This ongoing survey is tracking a nationally representative sample of men and women who were born from 1980 to 1984.

Percent of men born in 1980–84 who have ever been arrested at age 19 or older, 2015–16
45.1% of non-Hispanic Blacks
37.0% of Hispanics
31.7% of non-Blacks/non-Hispanics

From 32 to 45 percent of men in the 1980-to-1984 cohort have ever been arrested. While most of those who were arrested did not spend time in jail, a substantial proportion did...

Percent of men born in 1980–84 who have ever been incarcerated at age 19 or older, 2015–16
19.8% of non-Hispanic Blacks
14.2% of Hispanics
11.0% of non-Blacks/non-Hispanics

The researchers find a decline in the likelihood of being employed as men's interaction with the criminal justice system increases.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment of Young Men after Arrest or Incarceration

Big City Slowdown

Between 2010 and 2018, the population of the nation's 775 largest cities (incorporated places with populations of 50,000 or more in 2018) grew by an average of 7.5 percent. The remainder of the United States grew by a smaller 5.8 percent. Growth is fastest for cities with populations of 500,000 to 1 million (such as Austin, San Francisco, Denver, and Boston), their populations growing by nearly 10 percent between 2010 and 2018. Growth is slowest in the nation's largest cities—those with populations of 1 million or more—with a gain of just 5.9 percent between 2010 and 2018.

City population growth 2010-2018 by city size
1 million or more: 5.9%
500,000 to 999,999: 9.6%
250,000 to 499,999: 8.0%
200,000 to 249,999: 6.2%
150,000 to 199,999: 7.3%
100,000 to 149,999: 7.5%
50,000 to 99,999: 7.6%

Among all cities with populations of 50,000 or more, the annual growth rate since 2010 has slowed from about 1.0 percent per year to a smaller 0.6 percent between 2017 and 2018. The biggest slowdown has occurred in cities with populations of 1 million or more. The annual growth rate of the largest cities fell from a peak of 1.11 percent in 2011–12 to just 0.12 percent in 2017–18. Three of these cities—New York, Chicago, and San Jose—experienced small population declines between 2017 and 2018. 

Source: Census Bureau, Fastest-Growing Cities Primarily in the South and West

Surge in Support for Gay Marriage, 1999 to 2019

Twenty years ago, just 35 percent of Americans supported legal same-sex marriage. Today, 63 percent of the public is in support, according to Gallup—a 28 percentage-point increase over the past two decades. Support has grown by 22 to 37 percentage points in every demographic group, Gallup reports. Here are the changes by age ...

Percent who support legal gay marriage in 2019 (and 1999)
Aged 18 to 29: 83% (52%)
Aged 30 to 49: 68% (39%)
Aged 50 to 64: 55% (31%)
Aged 65-plus: 47% (11%)

Even among Republicans, support for legal gay marriage climbed 22 percentage points between 1999 and 2019—to 44 percent in 2019. "The strong support seen today among young adults is likely to propel the national figure higher in the future," Gallup concludes.

Source: Gallup, U.S. Support for Gay Marriage Stable, at 63%

Attitudes Toward Abortion Are Complex

Seventy-three percent of Americans do not want to see the landmark abortion rights ruling Roe v. Wade overturned, according to Planned Parenthood. But what does that mean? The public's attitudes toward abortion are complex, as the General Social Survey has shown over the past 40 years. The GSS includes a battery of question about the circumstances under which women should have the right to a legal abortion. These are the attitudes of the American public  in 2018 and trends over the decades...

Abortion should be legal if a woman's health is in danger: 90 percent of Americans support the right to a legal abortion if a woman's health is in danger, a figure that has not changed significantly in four decades.

Abortion should be legal if a woman has been raped: 79 percent of the public support the right to a legal abortion if her pregnancy is the result of rape, a figure that has not changed significantly in four decades.

Abortion should be legal if the baby has a serious defect: 76 percent support the right to a legal abortion "if there is a strong chance of serious defect in the baby," a figure that has barely changed in four decades.

Abortion should be legal if a married woman doesn't want more children: 50 percent of the public supports the right to an abortion if a married woman does not want more children. This figure was as low as 38 percent in 1983 and has increased somewhat over the years.

Abortion should be legal if a woman cannot afford more children: Only 49 percent of the public supports the right to an abortion for economic reasons, a figure that was as low as 40 percent in 2004 and as high as 55 percent in 1974.

Abortion should be legal if a woman is single: Only 44 percent of the public supports the right to a legal abortion if a woman is not married. This figure has barely changed over the past four decades.

The great majority of Americans may not want Roe v. Wade to be overturned, but they are deeply divided on when a woman should be able to exercise her legal right to an abortion. How many think this decision should be up to the women herself? Here's the General Social Survey question: "Do you think it should be possible for a pregnant woman to obtain a legal abortion if the woman wants it for any reason?" Half of Americans support the right to a legal abortion for any reason. The figure was 34 percent in 1978, climbed to 40 percent in 1998, and reached 50 percent in 2018.

Source: Demo Memo analysis of the General Social Survey

Births by Race and Hispanic Origin in 2018

Non-Hispanic Whites accounted for the 52 percent majority of women who gave birth in 2018, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. Another 23 percent were Hispanic, 15 percent were non-Hispanic Black, and 6 percent were non-Hispanic Asian.

In 12 states, minorities accounted for the majority of births: Hawaii, California, New Mexico, Texas, Nevada, Arizona, Maryland, Florida, Georgia, New Jersey, Delaware, and New York. Minorities also accounted for the majority of births in the District of Columbia.

At the other extreme, non-Hispanic Whites accounted for more than 80 percent of births in six states: Montana, Kentucky, New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont, and West Virginia. In Vermont and West Virginia, more than 90 percent of births in 2018 were to non-Hispanic Whites.

Source: National Center for Health Statistics, Births: Provisional Data for 2018 (PDF)

A Generation Behind on Diversity

The nation's rural population is much less diverse than the urban population, reports the USDA's Economic Research Service. In nonmetropolitan counties (the definition of rural for this comparison), fully 78 percent of the population is non-Hispanic White. In metropolitan counties (urban) non-Hispanic Whites are only 58 percent of the population.

The diversity of rural America is a generation behind the United States as a whole. You have to go all the way back to 1985 to find Hispanics, Blacks, Asians, and other minorities accounting for only 22 percent of the total population.

Minority share of population
Urban (metropolitan counties): 42%
Rural (nonmetropolitan counties): 22%

Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Rural America at a Glance, 2018 Edition

Since 2007 Peak, Births Have Fallen in 49 States

The annual number of births in the United States peaked in 2007 at 4.3 million. Since then, births have fallen in every year but one. This ongoing baby bust is widespread, being felt in nearly every state. North Dakota is the only state in which 2018 births surpassed 2007 births—by a large 20.3 percent. The District of Columbia experienced a 3.9 percent increase in births between those years. But these gains are old news. The annual number of births has been falling in North Dakota since 2014 and in the District of Columbia since 2016.

Apart from North Dakota and the District of Columbia, these are the five states in which the baby bust is having the smallest impact...

Percent change in births, 2007 to 2018
-3.0% in South Dakota
-3.3% in Washington
-5.6% in Nebraska
-7.0% in Tennessee
-7.4% in Florida

These are the five states in which the baby bust is having the biggest impact...

Percent change in births, 2007 to 2018
-24.9% in New Mexico
-21.6% in Arizona
-20.4% in Mississippi
-19.9% in Illinois
-19.8% in California

Looking at the latest annual trend, the number of births fell in all but three states between 2017 and 2018. The only exceptions were Missouri, Maine, and New Jersey. The increases in those states were minuscule, however, ranging from 0.1 to 0.3 percent.

Source: National Center for Health Statistics, Births: Provisional Data for 2018 (PDF)

Births in 2018 Lowest in 32 years

Only 3,788,235 babies were born in the U.S. in 2018—the fewest births since 1986, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. Except for a small increase in 2014, the number of births has fallen in every year since 2007.

Number of births (in 000s)
2018: 3,788
2017: 3,856
2016: 3,946
2015: 3,978 
2014: 3,988
2013: 3,932
2012: 3,953
2011: 3,954
2010: 3,999 
2009: 4,131
2008: 4,248
2007: 4,316 (record high)

Records were broken again and again in 2018. The number of births per 1,000 women aged 15 to 44 (the general fertility rate) fell to a record low of 59.0 in 2018. The birth rates for women aged 15 to 19, 20 to 24, and 25 to 29 hit new record lows in 2018. The total fertility rate—the number of births a woman can expect in her lifetime given current age-specific fertility rates—fell to a record low of 1.728 in 2018. This is well below the 2.1 replacement level. "The rate has generally been below replacement since 1971 and consistently below replacement for the last decade," notes the NCHS report.

Source: National Center for Health Statistics, Births: Provisional Data for 2018 (PDF)

Only 63% of Public Willing to Vote for Presidential Candidate Aged 70 or Older

Every few years, Gallup surveys the public about its willingness to vote for a hypothetical presidential candidate with certain characteristics. These are some of the findings from its 2019 survey...

Would vote for a presidential candidate who is...
Black: 96%
Female: 94%
Gay or lesbian: 76%
Under age 40: 71%
Over age 70: 63%

The 76 percent of Americans who would be willing to vote for a gay or lesbian candidate is a record high. In 1978, the first year Gallup asked this question, only 26 percent said they would vote for a gay or lesbian candidate.

Source: Gallup, Less than Half in U.S. Would Vote for a Socialist for President

Life Expectancy at Birth by Sex, Race, Hispanic Origin

Life expectancy at birth varies by race and Hispanic origin. Non-Hispanic Blacks have a lower life expectancy at birth (74.9 years) than non-Hispanic Whites (78.6 years). Non-Hispanic Whites have a lower life expectancy at birth than Hispanics (81.8 years).

Add sex to the mix and the ranking of life expectancy becomes more complex. Non-Hispanic Black females have a higher life expectancy than non-Hispanic White males. Non-Hispanic White females have a higher life expectancy than Hispanic males. Hispanic females have the highest life expectancy of all.

Life expectancy at birth in 2016
84.3 years: Hispanic females
81.0 years: non-Hispanic White females
79.1 years: Hispanic males
78.0 years: non-Hispanic Black females
76.2 years: non-Hispanic White males
71.6 years: non-Hispanic Black males

Source: National Center for Health Statistics, Mortality Data, United States Life Tables, 2016

Homeowners Aged 30 to 34 by Region

Householders aged 30 to 34 were once the nation's first-time homebuyers—defined as the age group in which the homeownership rate first surpasses 50 percent. Nationally, the homeownership rate of the age group fell below 50 percent in 2011 and has been below that level ever since. In the Northeast, South, and West, the homeownership rate of householders aged 30 to 34 slipped below the 50 percent threshold in the aftermath of the Great Recession and has yet to recover. Not so in the Midwest, however, where the homeownership rate of the age group never dipped below 50 percent. Householders aged 30 to 34 are still the region's first-time homebuyers.

Homeownership rate of householders aged 30 to 34 by region, 2018
47.7%: total U.S.
43.0%: Northeast
56.8%: Midwest
47.8%: South
42.4%: West

Source: Census Bureau, Housing Vacancy Survey

Fewer Use Prescription Drugs

Although it seems as though prescription drug use is on the rise, in fact the percentage of Americans who have used one or more prescription drugs in the past 30 days has declined over the past decade—from 48.3 percent in 2007–08 to 45.8 percent in 2015–16. All of the decline in prescription drug use occurred among children under age 12, their use falling from 22.4 to 18.0 percent during those years.

Percent who have used one or more prescription drugs in past 30 days, 2015–16
Total population: 45.8%
Under age 12: 18.0%
Aged 12 to 19: 27.0%
Aged 20 to 59: 46.7%
Aged 60-plus: 85.0%

Bronchodilators are the most common type of prescription drug used by children (4.3 percent use them). Teens most commonly take central nervous system stimulants for attention deficit disorder (6.2 percent). Antidepressants are the most common drug taken by people aged 20 to 59 (11.4 percent). Among those aged 60 or older, lipid-lowering drugs are number one (46.3 percent).

The use of prescription drugs varies by race and Hispanic origin. Non-Hispanic Whites are most likely to have used prescription drugs in the past 30 days, with 50 percent having taken them. Asians are least likely (33 percent). Among people aged 60-plus, however, there is little difference in prescription drug use by race and Hispanic origin, with 82 to 85 percent having taken them in the past 30 days. The biggest differences by race and Hispanic origin are in the 20-to-59 age group. The 52 percent majority of non-Hispanic Whites aged 20 to 59 have taken a prescription drug in the past 30 days compared with 45 percent of Blacks, 34 percent of Hispanics, and just 30 percent of Asians.

Source: National Center for Health Statistics, Prescription Drug Use in the United States, 2015–2016

The Age When We Lose Our Parents

"The loss of one or both parents can profoundly affect a person's life," say Census Bureau researchers Zachary Scherer and Rose M. Kreider in an analysis of the age at which people lose their parents. Parents provide financial, emotional, and practical support to their children throughout life, note Scherer and Kreider. Consequently, the age at which one loses a parent can affect quality of life and standard of living.

Little has been known about the age at which Americans experience the loss of their parents—until now. The 2014 Survey of Income and Program Participation asked respondents whether their parents were still alive. Scherer and Kreider analyzed the data and found that the loss of one or more parents becomes the norm in the 45-to-54 age group...

Percent with one or more deceased parents
Total, 18-plus: 42.2%
Under age 18: 2.8%
Aged 18 to 24: 7.7%
Aged 25 to 34: 16.4%
Aged 35 to 44: 33.9%
Aged 45 to 54: 63.0%
Aged 55 to 64: 88.4%
Aged 65-plus: 99.1%

People lose their father before their mother, according to the analysis. Most 45-to-54-year-olds have lost Dad, while only one-third of the age group has lost Mom. Among 55-to-64-year-olds, the 54 percent majority has lost both parents. Among people aged 65 or older, a nearly universal 91 percent has lost both parents.

The age at which people lose a parent differs by socioeconomic factors. The higher the income and education, the smaller the percentage who have lost a parent in every age group until 65-plus, when nearly everyone has experienced the loss. By race and Hispanic origin, Blacks experience the loss of a parent at an earlier age than other race and Hispanic origin groups. Among 25-to-34-year-olds, for example, one in four Blacks has experienced the death of a parent. The figure is 15 percent among non-Hispanic Whites and Asians and 17 percent among Hispanics.

Because parents potentially provide their children with financial, emotional, and practical support throughout life, the earlier loss of parents may lower their children's standard of living. "Ostensibly, individuals with lower income, lower educational attainment, and those from communities that experience lower life expectancy would benefit most from parental support. However, our findings indicate that these same groups are the ones that experience parental loss earlier in life," the researchers conclude.

Source: Census Bureau, The Link Between Socioeconomic Factors and Parental Mortality

2.5 Million Artists in U.S. Labor Force

The stereotype of the starving artist must be laid to rest. A study of artists in the U.S. labor force by the National Endowment for the Arts shows the earnings of artists to be well above average—a median of $52,800 for those who worked full-time, year-round in 2012–16. Although this is less than the median for all professional workers ($60,460), it is 18 percent more than the median for the average worker ($44,640).

The National Endowment for the Arts collected data for its profile of artists by analyzing a number of government surveys including the Census Bureau's American Community Survey and Current Population Survey, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Contingent Workers Survey and Occupation Employment Survey. Artists are defined as those working in the following occupations, listed from most to least numerous...

Artists in the labor force
Designers: 938,000
Architects: 256,000
Art directors, fine artists, animators: 247,000
Writers and authors: 235,000
Photographers: 225,000
Musicians: 194,000
Producers and directors: 188,000
Other entertainers: 71,000
Actors: 53,000
Announcers: 51,000
Dancers and choreographers: 23,000

Fully 2.4 million workers are employed as artists in their primary occupation. Another 333,000 workers are artists as a second job. Musicians are the ones most likely to be artists as a second job (35 percent).

The 58 percent majority of those who are artists in their primary job work for a private company, 30 percent are self-employed, 7 percent work for a nonprofit, and 5 percent for government. Most of those who work as artists in a second job are self-employed (58 percent).

The median age of artists ranges from a low of 26 among dancers and choreographers to a high of 45 among architects and musicians. The median earnings in 2012–16 of artists who worked full-time ranged from a low of $31,150 for dancers and choreographers to a high of $76,680 for architects.

Source: National Endowment for the Arts, Artists and Other Cultural Workers: A Statistical Portrait

Financial Situation of American Households

The 56 percent majority of Americans say their personal financial situation today is good or excellent, according to a 2019 Gallup poll. This figure is significantly above the low of 41 percent recorded in 2012—in the aftermath of the Great Recession. But not everyone is doing well. Here is the distribution of households by their current financial situation...

Current financial situation (percent of households)
19% are saving a lot
37% are saving a little
26% are just managing to make ends meet
  6% are having to draw down savings
  7% are running into debt
  5% mixed, neither, or no opinion

Source: Gallup, Americans Feel Generally Positive about Their Own Finances

Median Household Income Falls Slightly in March 2019

Median household income fell to $63,425 in March 2019, after adjusting for inflation. This was 1 percent below the record high median recorded in January 2019, according to Sentier Research. Behind the decline is rising inflation. "The decline in real median household income of $635 between January 2019 and March 2019 is likely related to the uptick in inflation during the same time period," reports Sentier's Gordon Green. Sentier's estimates are derived from the Census Bureau's Current Population Survey and track the economic wellbeing of households on a monthly basis.

Despite the decline since January, the March 2019 median was 1.5 percent higher than the March 2018 median, after adjusting for inflation. It was 14.6 percent higher than the post-Great Recession low reached in June 2011 ($55,360)—a bottom hit two years after the official end of the Great Recession.

Sentier's Household Income Index for March 2019 was 103.5 (January 2000 = 100.0). In other words, after adjusting for inflation, the March 2019 median was just 3.5 percent higher than the median of January 2000—almost two decades ago. To stay on top of these trends, look for the next monthly update from Sentier.

Source: Sentier Research, Household Income Trends: March 2019

The Trust Gap by Educational Attainment

Most Americans do not trust others, according to the General Social Survey. Only 32 percent of the public agrees that most people can be trusted, while more than twice as many (64 percent) believe you can't be too careful in life. But some are more trusting than others, and no one is more trusting than a college graduate.

Americans with a bachelor's degree or more education are the only demographic segment in which the majority believes most people can be trusted—55 percent feel this way. In contrast, only 21 percent of their less-educated counterparts believe most people can be trusted. While 74 percent of those without a bachelor's degree think you can't be too careful in life, only 41 percent of those with a college degree agree.

Most people can be trusted (percent agreeing)
Not a college graduate: 21%
Bachelor's degree or more: 55%

You can't be too careful in life (percent agreeing)
Not a college graduate: 74%
Bachelor's degree or more: 41%

Note: Figures do not sum to 100 percent because some people said "it depends."

Source: Demo Memo analysis of the 2018 General Social Survey

The Generations in 2018

Generational power continues to shift, according to a Demo Memo analysis of the Census Bureau's 2018 population estimates by single-year of age. Older generations are dying off, while younger generations are gaining because of immigration and, for the Recession generation, births.

Between 2010 and 2018, Baby Boomers lost nearly 5 million of their peers, a 6 percent decline in the size of the generation. The number in the older Swing generation fell by 5 million, a 21 percent decline. The World War II generation (the oldest) lost more than 8 million members—a 60 percent decline since 2010. Gen Xers saw their ranks fall by 319,000 during those years.

Meanwhile, the number of Millennials grew by almost 3 million between 2010 and 2018, thanks to immigration. The iGeneration grew by nearly 2 million. The generations that follow Millennials now slightly outnumber Boomers and older Americans—99.3 million versus 99.1 million.

Size of generations in 2018 (and % of total population)
327,167,434 (100.0%): Total population
  35,950,639 (11.0%): Recession generation (aged 0 to 8)
  63,371,829 (19.4%): iGeneration (aged 9 to 23)
  79,812,607 (24.4%): Millennial generation (aged 24 to 41)  
  48,922,963 (15.0%): Generation X (aged 42 to 53)  
  72,562,397 (22.2%): Baby Boom generation (aged 54 to 72)  
  20,935,756 (  6.4%): Swing generation (aged 73 to 85)  
    5,611,243 (  1.7%): World War II generation (aged 86-plus)

Note: The Recession generation was born in 2010 or later; the iGeneration was born from 1995 through 2009; the Millennial generation was born from 1977 through 1994; Generation X was born from 1965 through 1976; the Baby-Boom generation was born from 1946 through 1964; the Swing generation was born from 1933 through 1945; the WW II generation was born in 1932 or earlier.

Source: Census Bureau, National Population by Characteristics: 2010–2018