Boomer Generation Shrinks by More than 1 Million

Between 2020 and 2021, the Baby Boom generation lost more than 1 million members, according to the Census Bureau's 2021 population estimates. Born from 1946 through 1964, Boomers numbered 71.4 million on July 1, 2020 and just 70.2 million on July 1, 2021—a loss of 1.1 million. Of course the Baby-Boom generation has been shrinking for years as it ages. The coronavirus pandemic pushed the Boomer losses above 1 million.

Boomers aren't alone in their decline. The number of Gen Xers fell by 245,000 between 2020 and 2021. Even the Millennial generation experienced its first-ever decline, falling by 80,000. The number of older Americans, born before 1945, experienced the biggest loss—a decline of 1.8 million. 

Size of generations in 2021 (and % of total population)
331,894,000 (100%): Total population
  47,412,000 (14%): Younger Americans (aged 0 to 11)
  64,940,000 (20%): Generation Z (aged 12 to 26)
  80,202,000 (24%): Millennial generation (aged 27 to 44)  
  49,088,000 (15%): Generation X (aged 45 to 56)  
  70,227,000 (21%): Baby Boom generation (aged 57 to 75)  
  20,024,000 (  6%): Older Americans (aged 76-plus)  

Note: Younger Americans were born in 2010 or later; Generation Z 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; Older Americans were born in 1945 or earlier.

Source: Census Bureau, National Population by Characteristics: 2020–2021

Missing the Arts

Millions of Americans are missing the arts. It has been more than six months since the public has been free to attend art festivals, live music performances, plays, musicals, dance recitals and other in-person art events. This is a big loss for all of us. 

Just how big is revealed by a National Endowment for the Arts analysis of the 2017 Survey of Public Participation in the Arts. The NEA study analyzed attendance at in-person art events by generation, revealing widespread devotion to the arts regardless of age. The majority of Gen Zers, Millennials, Gen Xers, and Boomers attend at least one in-person art event during a year's time. On average, these arts aficionados attend three events a year...

Percent reporting attendance at in-person art events in the past year (and average annual number of events participated in by attendees)
65% of Gen Zers (3.1)
59% of Millennials (2.9)
55% of Gen Xers (3.0)
53% of Boomers (2.9)
41% of Silent Generation (2.7)

Note: Generation Z was 18 to 20 in 2017. Millennials were 21 to 36. Generation X was 37 to 52. Boomers were 53 to 71. The Silent Generation was 72 to 89.

The 2017 survey also explored the reasons for attending arts events and the barriers preventing attendance. Wanting to spend time with family or friends was the top reason for attending an in-person art event—cited by 82 percent of attendees. The biggest barrier to attendance was a lack of time. Those were the good old days.   

Source: National Endowment for the Arts, 2017 Survey of Public Participation in the Arts, Why We Engage: Attending, Creating, and Performing Art

35% Listen to Background Music Most of the Time

Do you listen to background music while doing other things such as driving, puttering around the house, exercising, and so on? More than one in three Americans aged 18 or older (35 percent) report playing background music more than half the time while they do everyday activities, according to an AARP survey. Another 34 percent listen to background music sometimes (25 to 50 percent of the time), and 28 percent do so rarely (up to 25 percent of the time). Just 4 percent say they never have music on in the background.

Younger adults are most likely to listen to background music while doing everyday activities. Here are the percentages by generation...

Listen to background music more than 50% of the time while doing everyday activities
42% of Gen Z
41% of Millennials
34% of Gen X
30% of Boomers
24% of Older Americans

Source: AARP, 2020 AARP Music and Brain Health Survey

The Impact of Covid-19 on Workers' Retirement Outlook

The Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies (TCRS) has been surveying the nation's workers about their retirement plans for two decades. TCRS fielded its 20th annual survey late in 2019. Then coronavirus happened, threatening to make the 2019 results irrelevant. So, TCRS rolled up its sleeves and went back into the field in April 2020 to measure the effects of the pandemic on retirement planning.

Many workers are worried, according to the April findings. Overall, 23 percent say the pandemic has made them less confident in their ability to retire comfortably. Boomer workers are most likely to say they have lost confidence...

Percent with less confidence in ability to retire comfortably because of the pandemic
Millennials: 20%
Gen Xers: 25%
Boomers: 32%

The 58 percent majority of all workers say their job has been impacted by the pandemic, with the largest share saying their hours have been reduced. A substantial 22 percent plan to or already have dipped into a retirement account because of the pandemic—33 percent of Millennials, 15 percent of Gen Xers, and 10 percent of Boomers.

Even a small dip into retirement savings is likely to make a large dent. Although most workers are saving for retirement, they haven't accumulated much. The median amount workers have saved for retirement is only $23,000 for households headed by Millennials, $64,000 for Gen Xers, and $144,000 for Boomers.

Source: Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies, 20th Annual Transamerica Retirement Survey

The Generations by Race and Hispanic Origin, 2019

The non-Hispanic white share of the population ranges from a low of just under 50 percent in the Recession generation (defined as children under age 10) to a high of 78 percent among the oldest Americans—those aged 74 or older, born before 1946.

Generation X most closely mirrors the race and Hispanic origin composition of the population as a whole. Generations younger than Gen X are more diverse than the national average, while those older than Gen X are less diverse.

Although Hispanics outnumber Blacks in the population as a whole, Blacks outnumber Hispanics among Boomers and Older Americans. The Asian share of the population is highest in the Millennial generation at 8.4 percent.

Percent Distribution of the Population by Generation, Race, and Hispanic Origin, 2019

	total	Asian	Black	Hispanic	non-Hispanic white
Total population	100.0%	7.0%	14.7%	18.5%	60.1%
Recession generation (0-9)	100.0	7.4	18.3	26.0	49.6
Generation Z (10-24)	100.0	7.3	17.4	24.0	52.1
Millennials (25-42)	100.0	8.4	15.7	20.7	55.5
Generation X (43-54)	100.0	7.3	13.9	18.0	60.8
Boomers (55-73)	100.0	5.4	11.7	10.8	71.6
Older Americans (74-plus)	100.0	4.8	8.9	8.1	77.7

Note: Numbers may not add to 100 percent because Asians and Blacks are those who identify themselves as being of the race alone or in combination with other races, Hispanics may be of any race, and not all races are shown.

Source: Demo Memo analysis of the Census Bureau's National Population by Characteristics: 2010–2019

The Generations in 2019

A Demo Memo analysis of the Census Bureau's 2019 population estimates by single-year of age reveals the ongoing decline of Gen X and older generations as deaths shrink their ranks. The Millennial generation and Gen Z continue to grow because of immigration.

Between 2018 and 2019, the number of Baby Boomers fell by 829,000, and the number of older Americans fell by 1.7 million. Generation X also lost members, with a population decline of 159,000. When the Census Bureau's 2020 population estimates are released next year, Covid-19 deaths will add to but not dwarf these pre-pandemic losses.

Between 2010 and 2019, the number of Americans born in 1945 or earlier fell by 39 percent, a loss of 16 million people. The Baby-boom generation shrank 7 percent, with nearly 6 million fewer Boomers in 2019 than in 2010. Generation X lost 544,000 members during those years. Meanwhile, the number of Millennials grew by almost 3 million and Gen Z by 2 million. Millennials and younger generations now account for the 55 percent majority of the U.S. population.

Size of generations in 2019 (and % of total population)
328,240,000 (100%): Total population
  39,773,000 (12%): Recession generation (aged 0 to 9)
  63,486,000 (19%): Generation Z (aged 10 to 24)
  79,778,000 (24%): Millennial generation (aged 25 to 42)  
  48,696,000 (15%): Generation X (aged 43 to 54)  
  71,649,000 (22%): Baby Boom generation (aged 55 to 73)  
  24,858,000 (  8%): Older Americans (aged 74-plus)  

Note: The Recession generation was born in 2010 or later; Generation Z 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; Older Americans were born in 1945 or earlier.

Source: Census Bureau, National Population by Characteristics: 2010–2019

47% Faced a Financial Challenge in Past Year

Nearly half of American households (47 percent) headed by people aged 30 or older experienced an unexpected financial challenge in the past year, according to an AARP survey. Among households headed by Millennials and Gen Xers, the majority faced at least one such challenge. AARP defines an unexpected financial challenge as one that "caused a significant strain in your budget or your ability to pay your bills."

Percent experiencing at least one unexpected financial challenge in the past year
Millennials: 58%
Gen Xers: 54%
Boomers: 38%

Medical expenses were the number-one cause of financial challenges, cited by 33 percent. The median cost of a financial challenge was between $3,000 and $3,999. About half (51 percent) of those who experienced an unexpected financial challenge managed to get their finances back under control in less than 6 months. That's the good news. The bad news is that the 56 percent majority of those who faced a financial challenge experienced more than one.

Source: AARP,  Coping with an Unexpected Financial Challenge

Hey! Not All the Gray Hairs Are Boomers

How many of the Democratic presidential candidates are baby boomers? Not as many as you think, unless you're a reporter who assumes anyone with graying hair is a member of the baby-boom generation. That's what Politico writer Ben White assumed recently in his article How the Baby Boomers Broke America—classifying both Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden as boomers along with Elizabeth Warren. Of the three, Warren is the only baby boomer, born in 1949. Bernie Sanders (1941) and Joe Biden (1942) were born well before the boomer birth years of 1946 to 1964. Both Sanders and Biden are members of the "Silent Generation."

Only 4 of the 12 Democrats who qualified to participate in the October debate are baby boomers: Warren (1949), Tom Steyer (1957), Amy Klobuchar (1960), and Kamala Harris (1964). Just as well represented at the debate were Generation Xers. Four of the candidates were born during the Gen X birth years of 1965 through 1976: Cory Booker (1969), Beto O'Rourke (1972), Julian Castro (1974), and Andrew Yang (1975). Another two participants in the debate were Millennials, the generation born from 1977 through 1994: Tulsi Gabbard (1981) and Pete Buttigieg (1982).

Number of Democratic presidential candidates by generation 
2 from the Silent generation
4 from the Baby-boom generation
4 from Generation X
2 from the Millennial generation

The winner of the Democratic presidential primary will face Republican Donald Trump on election day 2020. Trump is a baby boomer, born in 1946. He is younger than Sanders and Biden, but older than the other Democrats.

Note: Ben White of Politico is not the only journalist who has been careless with generational definitions. David Brooks, in his New York Times column, Your Baby Boomer Report Card, also got it wrong. First, he said anyone born after 1960 doesn't count as a boomer, including Barack Obama (born in 1961). Sorry, but you can't cherry pick generational identity. Second, Brooks classified Bob Dylan as a boomer, but Dylan is a member of the Silent Generation (born in 1941 and a few months older than Bernie Sanders). Generational definitions seem to get sloppy when writers are trying a little too hard to make a point.

Source: Demo Memo analysis of the birth years of presidential candidates

32% Can Speak a Language other than English

Nearly one-third of Americans aged 18 or older (32 percent) say they can speak a language other than English, according to the 2018 General Social Survey. This figure has been growing slowly over the years and is up from 28 percent a decade ago.

Not surprisingly, Asians and Hispanics are most likely to say they can speak a language other than English—83 and 69 percent, respectively. In contrast, only 22 percent of Blacks and non-Hispanic Whites are multilingual. By generation, the youngest Americans are most likely to be able to speak a language other than English...

Can speak a language other than English
iGeneration: 43%
Millennials: 39%
Gen Xers: 33%
Boomers: 26%
Older: 13%

Note: In 2018 the iGeneration was aged 18 to 23; Millennials were aged 24 to 41; Gen Xers were aged 42 to 53; Boomers were aged 54 to 72; and older Americans were aged 73 or older.

Source: Demo Memo analysis of the 2018 General Social Survey

Friends Across Generations

It is not the norm to have a close friend who is at least 15 years older or younger than you are, according to an AARP survey. Only 37 percent of all adults say they have a close friend who is 15 or more years older or younger. By generation, here is the percentage who have a close cross-generational friendship...

Millennials: 32%
Gen Xers: 41%
Boomers: 39%

The most likely way of meeting a close friend who is so much older or younger is at work, cited by 26 percent of those with such friends.

Source: AARP,  The Positive Impact of Intergenerational Friendships

Is Gen X Prepared for Retirement?

The oldest Gen Xers—born in 1965—turn 55 next year. At that age, retirement planning shifts from serious to critical. How are Gen Xers doing as they prepare to cross the threshold into old(er) age? The 2019 Retirement Confidence Survey examines the generation's retirement readiness, and these are some of the findings...

• 59 percent of Gen Xers are confident they will have enough money to live comfortably in retirement, below Boomers (68 percent) and Millennials (67 percent).
• 65 percent of Gen Xers have personally saved for retirement, but only 31 percent have figured out how much money they need to save for retirement.
• 52 percent of Gen Xers have saved less than $50,000 for retirement.
• 31 percent of Gen Xers don't know when they will retire, 11 percent say they will retire at age 70 or older, and another 11 percent say they will never retire.
• 78 percent of Gen Xers plan to work for pay in retirement.

Source: Employee Benefit Research Institute, 2019 Retirement Confidence Survey Generation X Report

Landline Phone Spending by Generation, 2017

The iPhone changed everything. After its release in 2007, average household spending on cell phone service surged ahead of residential (landline) phone service for the first time. From 48 percent of total telephone service spending in 2006, the cell phone service share jumped to 55 percent in 2007. Ten years later, cell phone service accounted for 82 percent of telephone service spending, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics report, Are most Americans cutting the cord on landlines?

Yes, they are. During the average quarter of 2017, only 37 percent of households reported spending on landline phone service. Here are the percentages by generation...

Percent of households spending on landline phone service, 2017
Millennials: 12%
Gen Xers: 31%
Boomers: 48%
Silent: 69%
WWII: 74%

Source: Demo Memo analysis of the 2017 Consumer Expenditure Survey

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

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

Only 50% of Americans Belong to a Church

Only half of Americans aged 18 or older belong to a church, synagogue, or mosque, according to Gallup survey. The 50 percent of 2018 is a record low and down from 70 percent in 1999. Behind the decline, says Gallup, is the growing share of the population without a religious preference. That share climbed from 8 to 19 percent in the past two decades. Not only is church membership declining in successively younger generations, but it is also falling over time within generations...

Church membership in 2016–2018 (and 1998–2000)
Millennials: 42% (NA)
Gen Xers: 54% (62%)
Boomers: 57% (67%)
Older Americans: 68% (77%)

In 2016–2018, church membership was lowest among men (47 percent), people under age 30 (41 percent), Hispanics (45 percent), people in the West (43 percent), and liberals (37 percent). Church membership was highest among people aged 65 or older (64 percent), non-Hispanic Blacks (65 percent), people in the South (58 percent), Republicans (69 percent), and conservatives (67 percent).

Source: Gallup, U.S. Church Membership Down Sharply in Past Two Decades

Most Gen X Households Have a Dog

Overall, 61 percent of American households have a pet, according to the 2018 General Social Survey. Among Gen Xers, the share is 66 percent, making them the most pet-friendly generation. This makes sense, since many acquired pets as they married and had children. Millennials are in the process of doing the same.

Percent of households with pets by generation, 2018

	Any pet	Dog	Cat
Total households	61%	46%	25%
Millennials	60	43	23
Generation Xers	66	53	28
Boomers	62	50	23
Older Americans	45	33	18

Boomers are about as likely as Millennials to have a pet. Among older Americans (the Silent and World War II generations) fewer than half of households have a pet. Many once had a pet, however. When asked whether they had a pet five years ago, 57 percent of older Americans said yes.

Note: In 2018, Millennials were aged 24 to 41, Generation Xers were aged 42 to 53, Baby Boomers were aged 54 to 72, and Older Americans were aged 73 or older.

Source: Demo Memo analysis of the General Social Survey

Attitudes toward Marijuana Legalization by Generation

Americans may not agree on much, but they are close to a consensus on the legalization of marijuana. Two-thirds of the public (66 percent) says the use of marijuana should be legal, according to the 2018 General Social Survey. This is up from 48 percent who felt that way in 2010 and just 33 percent who favored it in 2000.

Percent who think the use of marijuana should be legal by generation, 2018
Millennials: 76%
Gen Xers: 62%
Boomers: 62%
Older: 34%

While support for the legalization of marijuana has been growing for more than a decade, the biggest gains have occurred since 2010. The percentage of Millennials who favor legalization jumped by 20 percentage points between 2010 and 2018—from 56 to 76 percent. Support from Gen Xers climbed 19 percentage points during those years. Interestingly, Boomers were more supportive than Gen Xers in 2010 (54 versus 43 percent), but the two generations are now equally in favor. The generations that precede the Baby Boom (Silent and World War II) are the only ones who have not yet embraced the idea. They probably never will. The percentage of older Americans who favor legalization increased by just 2 percentage points between 2010 and 2018.

Note: In 2018, Millennials were aged 24 to 41, Generation Xers were aged 42 to 53, Baby Boomers were aged 54 to 72, and Older Americans were aged 73 or older.

Source: Demo Memo analysis of the General Social Survey

Age at which Americans Will Stop Driving

Most automobile owners in the United States do not plan on giving up driving—ever. Sixty-two percent of the nation's drivers say they will continue to drive for the rest of their life, according to an AARP survey...

"At what age do you think you will stop driving?"
Age 60 to 75: 12%
Aged 76-plus: 24%
Never stop driving: 62%
Refused to answer: 2%

Among drivers who say they will stop driving, the average age at which they will turn in their keys is 78 for both Millennials and Gen Xers. Boomers say they will stop driving at an average age of 82.

Source: AARP, Boomers Going the Distance: 2018 Consumer Insights on the Driving Experience

"No Religious Preference" Now and in Childhood

Only 9 percent of Americans were raised without a religious preference, according to the General Social Survey. But a substantial 22 percent now say they have no religious preference. In each generation, the percentage who currently have no religious preference is at least twice as large as the percentage who were raised without a religious preference...

Percent with no religious preference today (and in childhood)
iGeneration: 28% (11%)
Millennials: 32% (13%)
Gen Xers: 21% (10%)
Boomers: 15% (5%)
Older: 11% (3%)

Note: In 2016 the iGeneration was 18 to 21, Millennials were 22 to 39, Gen Xers were 40 to 51; Baby Boomers were 52 to 70, and older Americans were 71 or older.

Source: Demo Memo analysis of the 2016 General Social Survey

Everyday Newspaper Readers Are Disappearing

Only 20 percent of Americans aged 16 or older say they read the newspaper every day, according to the 2016 General Social Survey. This figure is likely even lower today. In 2000, more than one-third (37 percent) of the public read the newspaper every day. In 1990, more than half (53 percent) were daily newspaper readers. Here is the percentage of Americans by generation who were daily newspaper readers in 2016...

Read a newspaper every day
Millennials: 10%
Gen Xers: 15%
Boomers: 30%
Older: 38%

A substantial 48 percent of Millennials, 39 percent of Gen Xers, 28 percent of Boomers, and 22 percent of older Americans say they never read the newspaper.

Note: In 2016, Millennials were aged 22 to 39; Generation Xers were aged 40 to 51; Baby Boomers were aged 52 to 70; older Americans were aged 71 or older.

Source: Demo Memo analysis of the General Social Survey