Veteran Demographics

The number of veterans in the U.S. is shrinking. The 19.6 million veterans of 2013 were well below the 26.4 million of 2000, according to the Census Bureau. The veteran share of the adult population fell from 12.7 to 8.1 percent during those years.

Most veterans are men (92 percent), and nearly half (47 percent) are aged 65 or older. Most men aged 75 or older are veterans, but the share drops to 39 percent among men aged 65 to 74 and declines in each younger age group...

Percent of men who are veterans
Aged 18 to 34: 4%
Aged 35 to 54: 10%
Aged 55 to 64: 19%
Aged 65 to 74: 39%
Aged 75-plus: 57%

The largest share of veterans served during the Vietnam War era (36 percent), followed by the Gulf War (27 percent). Another 24 percent served during peacetime. Eleven percent of veterans served during the Korean War, and just 7 percent are World War II vets. These percentages sum to more than 100 because some veterans served in more than one era.

Only 42 percent of veterans are enrolled in the VA's health benefits program, according to a report by the Congressional Research Service (PDF). Although this figure has been rising, it remains a minority of veterans because of Congressional limits on VA funding. Veterans enrolling since 2003 and without a service disability can access benefits only if their income or net worth is below a certain threshold.

Texting Is Number-One Form of Communication

Texting is the dominant form of communication among Americans, according to a Gallup survey. Thirty-nine percent of Americans say they texted "a lot" yesterday—slightly larger than the 38 percent who talked a lot on a cell phone and the 37 percent who sent or read emails a lot. (Only 9 percent say they used a landline phone a lot yesterday.) Of course the 1 or 2 percentage-point difference between these three most common modes of communication are statistically insignificant, but a look at the numbers by age confirms that texting will increasingly dominate communication in the years ahead.

More than two-thirds of young adults (aged 18 to 29) say they texted a lot yesterday, far above the 50 percent who talked a lot on a cell phone or the 47 percent who sent/received emails a lot. Among people aged 30 to 49 as well, texting surpasses cell phone calls (41 percent) or emailing (44 percent). Here are the percentages who say they texted a lot yesterday by age...

Aged 18 to 29: 68%
Aged 30 to 49: 47%
Aged 50 to 64: 26%
Aged 65-plus: 8%

Source: Gallup, The New Era of Communication among Americans

A Gun in the House

Nearly two out of three Americans believe that "having a gun in the house makes it a safer place to be," according to a Gallup survey. The percentage who feel this way is at a record high of 63 percent, up from just 35 percent in 2000. By region, this is the percentage with a gun in their house...

Northeast: 31%
Midwest: 44%
South: 51%
West: 39%

Source: Gallup, More than Six in 10 Americans Say Guns Make Homes Safer

Surviving to Age 80

Most Americans can expect to live well into old age. It wasn't always this way. In 1901, only 13.5 percent of newborns could expect to live to age 80 based on age-specific mortality rates of that year. By 1950, the chance of a newborn living to age 80 had climbed to 29.3 percent. In 2000, the probability exceeded 50 percent for the first time. By 2010, the 57.2 percent majority of newborns could expect to live to age 80. But the chance of living to age 80 differs greatly by sex, race and Hispanic origin...

Percentage surviving to age 80 based on 2010 mortality rates
71.2% of Hispanic females
64.0% of non-Hispanic White females
57.4% of Hispanic males
57.2% of total people
55.0% of Black females
50.9% of non-Hispanic White males
38.3% of Black males

Source: National Center for Health Statistics, Mortality Data, United States Life Tables 2010

Food Spending: Fact vs. Fantasy

Americans spend more at restaurants than they think they do. We know this because the Consumer Expenditure Survey asks respondents how much they usually spend at restaurants per week, and it also asks them to keep a daily diary of their expenditures. The results are not the same. The more precise diary method consistently shows restaurant spending to be 16 to 22 percent greater than the guesstimate.

The opposite happens with grocery shopping. When asked how much they usually spend on groceries per week, households overreport their spending by about 21 percent in comparison with diary data on grocery purchases. That's because Americans greatly underestimate how much they spend on nonfood items, like paper towels, when shopping for groceries.

Many Boomers Plan to Move in Retirement

More than one-third of Boomers plan to move when they retire. A survey of Americans aged 50 to 69 found a substantial 37 percent saying they intend to move. Among those who plan to move, 54 percent want to downsize—defined as moving to a smaller or less expensive home. This is the next house Boomer movers say they are looking for...

56% want to buy a single family home
22% want to rent an apartment in a multifamily building
12% want to rent a single family home
10% want to buy an apartment in a multifamily building

Source: The Demand Institute, Baby Boomers & Their Homes: On Their Own Terms

Poverty Is Not Permanent

There's a lot of handwringing about the nation's poor, and well there should be. But keep this in mind as the debate rages: poverty is not permanent. A Census Bureau study of poverty from 2009 through 2012 shows millions escaping poverty every year. Of the 35 million poor counted by the Census Bureau's Panel Study of Income Dynamics in 2009, a substantial 42 percent were not poor in 2012.

Of course, making a living wage is not necessarily permanent either. Among the 249 million Americans who were not poor in 2009, an unfortunate 6 percent had fallen into poverty by 2012. During the time period, which was marked by the struggle to recover from the Great Recession, the number of people sinking into poverty surpassed the number escaping it—15.7 million fell in and 14.8 million climbed out.

Source: Census Bureau, Dynamics of Economic Well-Being: Poverty 2009-2012

Where Do All Those Pumpkins Come From?

Six states produce most of the nation's pumpkins: Illinois, California, Ohio, Michigan, New York, and Pennsylvania. In Illinois, 77 percent of the pumpkin harvest ends up in a pie rather than on a porch. In the five other states, 88 to 99 percent of pumpkins are for the porch.

Source: USDA, Economic Research Service, Pumpkins: Background & Statistics

American Workers Are Treading Water

If you're a typical worker, you didn't get a raise this year. More than two-thirds (68 percent) of Americans say no one in their household received a raise or promotion in the past 12 months, according to the Public Religion Research Institute's 2014 American Values Survey.

It's worse than that, however. American workers have been treading water for 120 months, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The median weekly earnings of men and women with full-time wage and salary jobs have been stagnant for at least a decade. Here are the inflation adjusted numbers...

Men's median weekly earnings
2014: $880
2004: $894 

Women's median weekly earnings
2014: $722
2004: $720

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Median Weekly Earnings, 2004-2014

Educational Attainment Is Inherited

The "education advantage" appears to be passed down from parents to children even more strongly than the income advantage, according to a Brookings Institution study. An analysis of the educational attainment of fathers and their adult children finds 46 percent of children whose fathers were in the top education quintile also ended up in the top quintile, and 76 percent were in the top two quintiles. Doing the same analysis with incomes reveals the comparable figures to be a smaller 41 and 65 percent.

"The trend towards assortative mating—like marrying like—will likely strengthen the intergenerational transmission of high educational status," conclude the researchers.

Source: Brookings Institution, The Inheritance of Education

First-Time Homebuyer Watch: 3rd Quarter 2014

Homeownership rate of householders aged 30 to 34, third quarter 2014: 46.9%

The 46.9 percent homeownership rate of households headed by people aged 30 to 34 is a bit higher than the 46.5 percent all-time low recorded in the second quarter of 2014. But the difference is not statistically significant as the aging of first-time homebuyers continues. 

Householders aged 30 to 34 had long been the nation's first-time homebuyers. Historically, this was the age group in which homeownership became the norm—rising above 50 percent. But beginning in 2007, the homeownership rate of 30-to-34-year-olds went into a tailspin. In the second quarter of 2011, the rate fell below 50 percent for the first time. The latest numbers are another datapoint in the ongoing trend. 

The new age of first-time home buying is 35 to 39, but even this age group is slipping. The homeownership rate of 35-to-39-year-olds fell to 55.6 percent in the third quarter of 2014—close to the record low of 55.3 percent recorded in the first quarter of 2013.  

Nationally, the homeownership rate slipped to 64.4 percent in the third quarter of 2014, down from 65.3 percent one year ago.

Source: Census Bureau, Housing Vacancy Survey

Women 65+ Are Less Educated

Going to college was once an experience that divided younger generations from older Americans. Now the divide has disappeared. Well, almost. Although the majority of men and women in every age group has college experience, there's one exception: women aged 65 or older are less educated than everyone else.

Only 46 percent of women aged 65-plus have college experience. In contrast, a much larger 64 percent of women under age 65 have been to college. Among men regardless of age, the majority has college experience—including 54 percent of men aged 65 or older.

But older women are playing catch-up as Boomers fill the 65-plus age group. In 2010, the year before the first Boomers turned 65, only 39 percent of women aged 65-plus had college experience. By 2016, most older women will have spent some time on a college campus, and college experience will become the norm for men and women in every age group.

Source: Census Bureau, 2014 Current Population Survey

Self-Employed Women

The top three occupations of American women who are self-employed:

• Child care worker
• Hairdresser
• House cleaner

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Monthly Labor Review, Female Self-Employment in the United States: An Update to 2012

No Friends in the Neighborhood

Most Americans (84 percent) report having friends in their neighborhood, according to the 2013 American Housing Survey. Only 16 percent of households say they don't have friends, but the figure varies by homeownership status and other characteristics. Here is the percentage of households without friends in their neighborhood...

Homeowners (average with no friends = 12.1%)
8.3% of those aged 65 or older
9.3% of those in nonmetropolitan areas
13.4% of those in manufactured/mobile homes
15.8% of those in the suburbs
19.6% of those in central cities
20.9% of those in homes built in past four years

Renters (average with no friends = 24.3%)
16.6% of those in manufactured/mobile homes
16.8% of those aged 65 or older
21.8% of those in nonmetropolitan areas
24.1% of those in central cities
25.5% of those in the suburbs
26.5% of those in homes built in past four years

Source: Census Bureau, 2013 American Housing Survey

Generations Disagree on Best Way to Promote Economic Growth

When asked which of two alternatives is the best way to promote economic growth in the United States, young (aged 18 to 29) and old (aged 65 or older) disagree...

1. Spend more on education and the nation's infrastructure, and raise taxes on wealthy individuals and businesses to pay for that spending (percent saying this is best way)...
     Young: 62%

     Old: 40%

2. Lower taxes on individuals and businesses and pay for those tax cuts by cutting spending on some government services and programs (percent saying this is best way)...
     Young: 35%

     Old: 52%

Source: Public Religion Research Institute, Economic Insecurity, Rising Inequality, and Doubts about the Future: Findings from the 2014 American Values Survey

From Owning to Renting, 2012-13

Among the 16 million Americans who moved between 2012 and 2013, this many...

Owners became renters: 3,009,000
Renters became owners: 1,871,000

The homeownership status of the remaining 11 million movers was unchanged when they moved (owners continued to be owners, and renters continued to be renters).

Source: Census Bureau, 2013 American Housing Survey

Most Homeowners Have No Sidewalks in Neighborhood

Only 56 percent of U.S. households have sidewalks in their neighborhood, according to the 2013 American Housing Survey. Sidewalks are even less common in the neighborhoods of the nation's homeowners—only 48 percent have them compared with 71 percent of renters.

Renters are more likely to have sidewalks in their neighborhood because many live in central cities where sidewalks are the norm. Fully 77 percent of central city households have sidewalks in their neighborhood compared with 54 percent of households in the suburbs and just 27 percent of households in nonmetropolitan areas. By region, homeowners in the South are least likely to have sidewalks in their neighborhood...

Percent of homeowners with sidewalks in their neighborhood
Northeast: 47%
Midwest: 51%
South: 37%
West: 64%

Source: Census Bureau, 2013 American Housing Survey

Underwater Homeowners Decline by 1.7 Million

The number of homeowners who owe more for their house than it is worth fell by 1.7 million between 2011 and 2013, according to the Census Bureau's biennial American Housing Survey.

Just over 5 million homeowners reported in 2013 that they were underwater on their mortgage—or 11 percent of homeowners with a mortgage. This was less than the 6.8 million and 14 percent of homeowners with a mortgage who reported being underwater in 2011. Despite the progress, the 2013 figure is more than double what it was in 2007.

Number (and percent) of homeowners with a mortgage who are underwater
2013: 5.1 million (11 percent)
2011: 6.8 million (14 percent)
2009: 5.8 million (12 percent)
2007: 2.5 million (5 percent)

Source: Census Bureau, 2013 American Housing Survey

The Ferguson Effect

The attitudes of Americans toward the treatment of Blacks by the criminal justice system is changing, in part due to public outrage over the police shooting death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. The majority of Americans no longer believe Blacks and Whites are treated equally by the criminal justice system.

The percentage of Americans who disagree with the statement, "Blacks and other minorities receive equal treatment as whites in the criminal justice system," climbed from 47 to 56 percent between 2013 and 2014. Even Whites are changing their mind. The percentage of Whites who disagree that Blacks and Whites are treated equally grew from 42 to 51 percent.

Source: Public Religion Research Institute, Economic Insecurity, Rising Inequality, and Doubts about the Future: Findings from the 2014 American Values Survey

Explaining Nonmetro Population Decline

Between 2012 and 2013, the number of adults in nonmetropolitan areas declined, perhaps for the first time ever, according to the USDA's Economic Research Service.

Average annual percent change in nonmetro population aged 16+
2012-13: -0.07
2011-12:  0.07
2010-11:  0.19
2009-10:  0.37
2008-09:  0.36
2007-08:  0.49

This loss is the result of two trends: a decline in the rate of natural population increase in nonmetro areas (births minus deaths) and a decline in net migration (people moving in minus people moving out), which has been negative since 2010. Why are people moving out of nonmetro areas? Probably to find a job. According to the researchers, "nonmetro employment growth slowed in 2011 and fell to zero or slightly below thereafter."

Source: USDA, Economic Research Service, Rural Employment Trends in Recession and Recovery

The Rise of "Shared Households"

Here's a trend that may explain the nation's slow household growth and the outright decline in the number of households headed by 25-to-34-year-olds: the rise of the "shared household." A shared household has at least one "additional adult"—defined as a household member aged 18 or older who is not in school nor the householder, spouse, or cohabiting partner. Take a look at the trend in shared households since 2007...

Number of shared households (and percent of total households)
2014: 23.5 million (19.1%)
2007: 19.7 million (17.0%)

Number of adults living in shared households (and percent of total adults)
2014: 74 million (30.9%)
2007: 62 million (27.7%)

Between 2013 and 2014, the number of additional adults in shared households grew by 1.8 million. Among adults aged 25 to 34 in 2014, fully 25.2 percent (10.7 million) were additional adults in a shared household, explaining the decline in the number of households headed by 25-to-34-year-olds.

Source: Census Bureau, Income and Poverty in the United States: 2013

Commuting Less by Private Vehicle

The use of private vehicles for commuting to work has declined among younger Americans, according to a Brookings analysis of American Community Survey data. Workers under age 25, in particular, were less likely to commute to work by private vehicle in 2013 than in 2007.

In 2013, 82.4 percent of workers under age 25 commuted to work by car—1.3 percentage points less than in 2007. Workers aged 25 to 54 were 0.9 percentage points less likely to commute by private vehicle, while workers aged 55 or older were driving more.

Source: The Brookings Institution, Millennials and Generation X Commuting Less by Car, But Will the Trends Hold?

Households with Earners Lose Ground

Between 2007 and 2013, households with no earners were the only ones who made gains in median income, after adjusting for inflation. Most are headed by retirees.

Percent change in median income, 2007 to 2013 (in 2013 dollars)
No earners:   +1.8%
One earner:   -4.0%
Two earners: -2.6%

Source: Census Bureau, Historical Income Data

Life Expectancy at Age 65

Life expectancy at birth reached a record high of 78.8 years in 2012, reports the National Center for Health Statistics. Life expectancy at age 65 also hit a record high in 2012. Since 1950, life expectancy at age 65 has increased by 5.4 years...

Life expectancy at age 65 (years)
2012: 19.3
2010: 19.1
2000: 17.9
1990: 17.2
1980: 16.4
1970: 15.2
1960: 14.3
1950: 13.9

Females have a longer life expectancy than males at every age. For women aged 65, life expectancy is 20.5 years. Men aged 65 can expect 17.9 more years of life.

Source: National Center for Health Statistics, Mortality Data

Peak Tuition?

It might be too soon to call this a trend, but average household spending on college tuition fell 6 percent between 2012 and 2013, after adjusting for inflation. This is quite a reversal for a category that had been growing like there was no tomorrow. Between 2007 and 2012, average household spending on college tuition climbed 27 percent.

College enrollment fell by 930,000 between 2011 and 2013. This means 2012 might have been the peak year for household spending on college tuition. The spending spree was bound to end as young adults and their parents struggle to pay college expenses while their household incomes decline.

According to a Pew Research Center analysis, fully 69 percent of 2011-12 college graduates (defined as those earning a bachelor's degree) have student loans, up from 49 percent two decades ago. The 2011-12 graduates with loans owe more than twice as much as their counterparts in 1992-93: a median of $26,885 versus $12,434 (in 2013 dollars).

Why the Decline in Households Headed by 25-to-34-Year-Olds?

The release of 2014 Current Population Survey data a few weeks ago was almost ho-hum. Median household income was unchanged, and there were few clues about emerging trends.

But one thing stood out: the decline in households headed by 25-to-34-year-olds. The number fell by a small but surprising 8,994 between 2013 and 2014. The decline was a surprise because the 25-to-34-year-old population is growing by more than half a million a year, and households headed by the age group had been growing by more than 100,000 a year—until now. What happened?

To find out, let's take a look at which household types in the 25-to-34 age group contributed to the 2013-14 decline: married couples (down 89,216), women who live alone (down 88,688), and men who live alone (down 44,932).

These declines are a sign of economic distress. A Pew Research Center survey has uncovered the reason why so many 25-to-34-year-olds aren't marrying: they're looking for a partner with a steady job. With rents rising and student loan payments looming, fewer can afford to live by themselves while waiting for Mr. (or Ms.) Right. Looking back, we should have seen this coming. Since 2010, the annual increase in the number of households headed by 25-to-34-year-olds has been shrinking to the point where there's no increase at all...

Annual change in number of households headed by 25-to-34-year-olds
2010-11: 315,000
2011-12: 274,000
2012-13: 171,000
2013-14:    -8,994

In light of this trend, the 2013-14 decline is not a surprise.

Death by Disease: Perception vs. Reality

Americans don't know much about infectious disease. A Harris poll asked the public for its best guess of the mortality rate of various infectious diseases once someone has the disease. Using sources such as the CDC and Wikipedia, Demo Memo compared perception to reality. Surprisingly, the public is pretty accurate at estimating the Ebola mortality rate. For other diseases, such as rabies, the gap between perception and reality is disturbing...

Best guess versus (actual) mortality rate
Ebola: 58% (50%)
Bubonic plague: 43% (11%)
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome/SARS: 28% (10%)
Smallpox: 25% (30%)
Rabies: 25% (100%)
West Nile Virus: 25% (5%)
Polio: 20% (5% to 10%)

Source: Harris Interactive, Shortly Before Texas Diagnosis, Four in Ten Americans Believed Ebola Represented a Threat to Public Health in the U.S.

Nonmetro Population Loss: The Hispanic Factor

Between 2010 and 2013, the nation's nonmetropolitan areas lost population. One factor behind the loss is slower growth of the Hispanic population...

Average annual percent change in the Hispanic population of nonmetropolitan counties
1990-2000: 4.9%
2000-2010: 3.6%
2010-2013: 2.1%

The one-two punch of slower Hispanic growth and an outright decline in the non-Hispanic population of nonmetropolitan areas (-0.2% between 2010 and 2013) led to the overall loss.

Source: USDA, Economic Research Service, Rural Hispanic Population Growth Mirrors National Trends

How Valuable Is a For-Profit College Degree?

Less valuable than a degree from a public institution, according to a recent field experiment. By submitting fictitious resumes to real job postings on an online job board, researchers compared employer response to college degrees from different types of schools.

Employers do notice and care about where you got your degree, the researchers discovered. A resume listing a bachelor's degree in business from a for-profit school was 22 percent less likely to get a callback than a resume listing the same degree from a nonselective public school.

Source: National Bureau of Economic Research, Working Paper 20528, The Value of Postsecondary Credentials in the Labor Market: An Experimental Study ($5)

Six Types of Older Americans

Households headed by Americans aged 65 or older can be segmented into six clusters based on their spending patterns, say researchers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Using data from the 2010-11 Consumer Expenditure Survey, the analysts identified these types...

1. Basic need-meeters (26.9%). The largest and poorest cluster, this segment had an average income of $33,124 in 2010-11 and spent just $23,679. Because of their limited resources, Basic Need-Meeters must devote the largest share of their spending to essentials (43 percent).
2. Housing burdened (25.9%). Fully 78 percent of households in this cluster are still making mortgage payments compared with only 23 to 34 percent of households in the other clusters. Consequently, the Housing Burdened devote the largest share of their budget to mortgage (or rent)—fully 42 percent of their spending versus only 5 to 17 percent in the other clusters.
3. Health care burdened (21.1%). The second-poorest cluster, this group is defined by its outsized out-of-pocket health care spending—or 27 percent of its $29,818 overall spending. Other groups devote only 10 to 12 percent of their spending to health care.
4. Transportation burdened (12.1%). Although this group spent a relatively large $44,245 in 2010-11, it had to devote a hefty 33 percent of that spending to transportation. Fully 60 percent of this group lives in smaller cities of the South and Midwest.
5. Happy retirees (6.3%). This is the richest group, with average annual spending of $54,813. They devote a hefty 31 percent of their budget to "expendables" (entertainment, travel, and household operations). The average income of Happy Retirees and Balanced Budgeters is about the same, but Happy Retirees spend more.
6. Balanced budgeters (5.4%). This group is almost as affluent as Happy Retirees, but it spends less ($47,920 versus $54,813). They devote about an average amount to various budget items, which is why they are considered "balanced."

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Monthly Labor Review, Consumption Patterns and Economic Status of Older Households in the United States

The Tchotchke Index: 2013 Update

It has been a while since we updated the Tchotchke Index—a measure of our economic wellbeing. The more Americans are willing to spend on tchotchkes—gift shop items, home decor trinkets, yard sale finds—the greater the economic confidence. Five years ago Demo Memo Blog created the Tchotchke Index to track excess consumer spending (here is the original post). The Tchotchke Index is the amount of money spent by the average household on "decorative items for the home," a detailed category in the Consumer Expenditure Survey.

Sadly, the Tchotchke Index has plummeted to the lowest level on record. In 2013, the average household spent just $103 on decorative items for the home—less than half of the $240 it spent on this category in 2000, after adjusting for inflation. The 2013 Index is even lower than the $108 spent in 2010, in the aftermath of the Great Recession. An ominous sign, for sure.

Book Store Jobs, 2004 and 2014

The number of Americans employed at book stores and news dealers fell 41 percent between 2004 and 2014, from 151,100 to 89,600—a loss of more than 60,000 jobs.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Spending and Employment related to Books and other Reading Materials

Fewer Middle-Aged Men Have Long-Term Jobs

Men's incomes are declining in part because fewer hold long-term jobs. This is especially true for men aged 45 to 54, typically the nation's peak earners. A generation ago, the average employed man in this age group had worked for his current employer for at least 10 years. Not so today. The 2014 numbers show a steep decline in long-term jobs among middle-aged men.

• Only 42.8 percent of men aged 45 to 49 had worked for their current employer for at least 10 years, down from 57.8 percent a generation ago in 1983—a 15 percentage point decline.
• Only 49.9 percent of men aged 50 to 54 had worked for their current employer for at least 10 years, down from 62.3 percent in 1983—a 12 percentage point decline.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employee Tenure

College Enrollment Declines

College enrollment has declined for the second year in a row, according to the Census Bureau. In the fall of 2013, the nation's two-year, four-year, and graduate schools enrolled 19.5 million students. This was 463,000 fewer students than in the fall of 2012 and 930,000 fewer students than in the fall of 2011—the peak year, when college enrollment reached 20.4 million.

Two-year schools accounted for almost all the enrollment decline between 2012 and 2013 (-560,000), while four-year schools made gains (+128,000). This was a reversal of the 2011-12 pattern of loss, when four-year schools accounted for almost all the enrollment decline (-580,000) and two-year schools made gains (+125,000). The nation's graduate schools experienced small declines in both years (-31,000 in 2012-13 and -13,000 in 2011-12).

Source: Census Bureau, School Enrollment

What Do Women Want? A Man with a Steady Job

The median age at first marriage is at a record high for both men and women. To find out why, Pew Research Center surveyed Americans about their attitudes toward marriage and asked those who had not yet married what the heck they were waiting for.

Wouldn't you know it, a steady job is the number-one characteristic women want in a partner. Fully 78 percent of single women who want to marry someday say this is a very important quality in choosing a partner. Many more single women want a man with a steady job than want one who shares their ideas about raising children, morals, or religious beliefs.

Finding a man with a steady job is more difficulty than it used to be. According to Pew's analysis, there are only 91 employed men per 100 women in the 25-to-34 age group, down from 139 in 1960. Even worse, many of today's employed young men have low-paying and unstable jobs, making them unattractive marriage partners. When women decide to marry, they are making a rational economic decision. The fact that so many young women are choosing to remain single is evidence of the decline in men's earning power.

Source: Pew Research Center, Record Share of Americans Have Never Married

What's Behind the Rise in Obesity?

The percentage of Americans who are obese has soared over the past 50 years, according to height and weight measurements collected by the federal government. Fully 35 percent of adults aged 20 to 74 were obese in 2011-12, up from just 13 percent  in 1960-62. Obesity is defined as having a body mass index of 30.0 or greater.

This rise in obesity did not occur steadily over the past 50 years. Most of the increase took place between 1976 and 2000, when obesity doubled from 15 to 31 percent. What happened then to cause the increase? Three converging trends may have been at work: the aging of the baby-boom generation into middle-age when people typically put on pounds, the rise of working women and mothers, and the substitution of fast-food meals for home cooking.

Interestingly, the percentage of Americans who are overweight but not obese has barely grown over the years, rising from 31.5 percent in 1960-62 to 33.3 percent in 2011-12. Add the overweight numbers to the obesity figures, and the 69 percent majority of Americans were overweight or obese in 2011-12, up from a 45 percent minority in 1960-62.

Source: National Center for Health Statistics, Prevalence of Overweight, Obesity, and Extreme Obesity among Adults: United States, 1960-1962 through 2011-2012

Gen X: Higher Incomes, Less Wealth

A study of the upward mobility of Generation X reveals contradictory trends. Although the incomes of Gen Xers are higher than their parents, they are not as wealthy. This is true especially of college graduates: 82 percent have higher incomes than their parents, but only 30 percent have greater wealth.

What accounts for this disparity? One factor is student debt. Although the education debt of Gen Xers is manageable on a day-to-day basis, notes the report, it is limiting their wealth accumulation and may hamper their ability to send their own children to college—the troubling "generational reach" of students loans.

Source: The Pew Charitable Trusts, A New Financial Reality—The Balance Sheets and Economic Mobility of Generation X

Change in Households by Age, 2013 to 2014

The number of households in the United States grew by a tiny 0.4 percent between 2013 and 2014, according to the Census Bureau's Current Population Survey—the third slowest rate of growth in more than four decades. Here is the numerical change in households by age of householder...

Change in number of households, 2013 to 2014
Total households: 492,000
Under age 25:          9,532
Aged 25 to 34:        -8,994
Aged 35 to 44:    -288,231
Aged 45 to 54:    -258,528
Aged 55 to 64:     233,447
Aged 65-plus:      804,985

The decline in households headed by people aged 35 to 54 is due to the small Generation X moving into those age groups. The increase in households headed by people aged 55 or older is due to the large Baby-Boom generation moving into those age groups. The troubling number, and a sign of economic distress, is the decline in households headed by 25-to-34-year-olds, a group that should be expanding with the Millennial generation.

Source: Census Bureau, Income and Poverty in the United States: 2013

What Happened to the Nation's Peak Earners?

Median household income peaks in the 45-to-54 age group, but the peak is smaller today than it once was because of the staggering decline in the median income of the age group.

In 1999, the year when the nation's median household income reached its all-time high, the median of households headed by 45-to-54-year-olds was 40 percent greater than the overall median: $79,550 versus $56,895 (in 2013 dollars). Today, however, the median income of householders aged 45 to 54 is just 29 percent higher than the overall median: $67,141 versus $51,939. Between 1999 and 2013, the median income of householders aged 45 to 54 fell by a stunning 15.6 percent—a loss of more than $12,000, after adjusting for inflation.

Median household income in 2013 (and percent change since 1999; in 2013 dollars)
Total households: $51,939 (-8.7%)
Under age 25: $34,311 (-2.4%)
Aged 25 to 34: $52,702 (-10.4%)
Aged 35 to 44: $64,973 (-8.5%)
Aged 45 to 54: $67,141 (-15.6%)
Aged 55 to 64: $57,538 (-7.9%)
Aged 65-plus: $35,611 (+11.7%)

Source: Census Bureau, Income and Poverty in the United States: 2013

Anemic Household Growth, 2013-14

The number of households in the United States increased by a tiny 0.4 percent between 2013 and 2014, according to the Census Bureau's latest estimates. In only 2 of the past 40 years have households grown more slowly (in 2008–09 and 2009–10). The 492,000 households added to the nation's total between 2013 and 2014 is the fourth smallest numerical gain in four decades of tracking the numbers (smaller gains were recorded in 1982–83, 2008–09, and 2009–10).

Also notable, the number of non-Hispanic White households fell slightly between 2013 and 2014. The decline marks only the 4th time in 40 years that the Census Bureau has estimated a drop in the number of non-Hispanic White households.

Nearly one-third of the nation's households are now headed by Blacks, Asians, or Hispanics. Black households outnumber Hispanic households by more than 1 million, and they grew faster than Hispanic households between 2013 and 2014 (a 1.8 percent gain for Blacks versus a 1.4 percent gain for Hispanics). Asian households are far less numerous than Black or Hispanic, but they grew by a faster 4.1 percent between 2013 and 2014.

Number (and percent distribution) of households by race and Hispanic origin, 2014
Total: 122,952,000 (100.0%)
Asian: 6,111,000 (5.0%)
Black: 16,855,000 (13.7%)
Hispanic: 15,811,000 (12.8%)
Non-Hispanic White: 83,641,000 (68.0%)

Source: Census Bureau, 2014 Current Population Survey

Median Household Income in 2013

The $51,939 median household income of 2013 was not significantly different from the $51,758 of 2012, after adjusting for inflation. This is the second year in a row of no significant change in median household income, according to the Census Bureau, following two years of decline.

Median household income in 2013 was 8.0 percent below the median of 2007 (the Great Recession officially began in December 2007), after adjusting for inflation. But 2007 was nothing special as far as median household income is concerned because the median had peaked years before that—all the way back in 1999 at $56,895. Median household income in 2013 was 8.7 percent below that all-time high.

Median household income, 1999 to 2013 (in 2013 dollars)
2013: $51,939
2012: $51,758
2011: $51,842
2010: $52,646
2009: $54,059
2008: $54,423
2007: $56,436
1999: $56,895 (all-time high)

Source: Census Bureau, Income and Poverty in the United States: 2013

Spending Trends by Region, 2006 to 2013

The Northeast is the only region in which average household spending in 2013 exceeded spending in 2006 (the peak spending year, nationally), after adjusting for inflation.

Average household spending in 2013 (and percent change since 2006; in 2013 dollars)
Total households: $51,100 (-8.6%)
Northeast: $57,027 (+0.4%)
Midwest: $50,527 (-3.1%)
South: $45,956 (-10.6%)
West: $55,460 (-16.5%)

Households in the Northeast are now the biggest spenders. At the other extreme, households in the South spend the least and are losing ground. In dollar terms, the household spending gap between the Northeast and South has more than doubled, rising from $5,388 in 2006 to $11,071 in 2013.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Expenditure Surveys

Stuck in the Suburbs

As boomers age into their sixties and beyond, most still live in suburban and rural areas designed for younger adults in their physical prime. Driving is a requirement for getting groceries, seeing a doctor, or visiting friends and family. Yet many older Americans (20 percent of those aged 50 or older, according to an AARP study) limit their driving or have given it up entirely. As boomers age, millions will be isolated in suburban and rural areas. Housing America's Older Adults, a new report from the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University, examines this emerging problem and what can be done about it.

Spending by Age, 2006 to 2013

Average household spending fell 8.6 percent between 2006 (the peak year) and 2013, after adjusting for inflation—from $55,926 to $51,100. According to a Demo Memo analysis of the Consumer Expenditure Survey, only 16 percent of the $4,826 decline in average household spending during those years was due to the aging of the population—a consequence of the large baby-boom population getting older, retiring, and reducing its spending.

Most of the decline in average household spending was due to budget cutting in all but one age group. Here is average household spending by age of householder in 2013 (and percent change since 2006; in 2013 dollars)...

Under age 25: $30,373 (-6.7%)
Aged 25 to 34: $48,087 (-12.5%)
Aged 35 to 44: $58,784 (-11.5%)
Aged 45 to 54: $60,524 (-9.0%)
Aged 55 to 64: $55,892 (-4.8%)
Aged 65-plus: $41,403 (+2.2%)

In dollar terms, households headed by people aged 35 to 44 cut their spending the most. In 2013, these households spent a substantial $7,632 less than they did in 2006, after adjusting for inflation.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Expenditure Surveys

Spending in 2013: Another Decline

Average household spending peaked in 2006, just prior to the Great Recession, and has yet to recover. In 2013, the average household spent just $51,100, according to the latest numbers from the Consumer Expenditure Survey. This is 2.1 percent less than the average household spent in 2012 and fully 8.6 percent less than it spent in 2006, after adjusting for inflation. Here is average annual household spending from the peak spending year of 2006 through 2013 (in 2013 dollars), and the percent change in spending from the preceding year...

2013: $51,100 (-2.1%)
2012: $52,196 (+1.4%)
2011: $51,477 (+0.2%)
2010: $51,397 (-3.5%)
2009: $53,280 (-2.5%)
2008: $54,626 (-2.1%)
2007: $55,770 (-0.3%)
2006: $55,926 (+1.0%)

Note that the 2012-13 spending decline of 2.1 percent is equal to the decline that occurred between 2007 and 2008—in the midst of the Great Recession.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Expenditure Survey

Why Renters Aren't Buying

Renters aren't becoming homeowners like they once did. Is that because they don't want to own a home or because they can't afford to buy? To determine the answer, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York added a series of questions on its Survey of Consumer Expectations, fielded in February. Were renters planning on moving in the next three years? Among those who planned to move, would they rent or buy their next home? If they did not plan to buy, why not?

It turns out most renters who plan to move and rent rather than buy just don't have the money to become homeowners. The 56 percent majority of these potential homebuyers say they don't have enough money saved or they have too much debt to buy a home.

Source: Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Liberty Street Economics, Why Aren't More Renters Becoming Homeowners?

Household Income Stable in July 2014

Median household income inched up to $54,045 in July 2014, according to Sentier Research. This was a statistically insignificant $105 more than in June, after adjusting for inflation. The July 2014 median was 1.7 percent higher than in July 2013, however, and 4.2 percent more than the $51,843 of August 2011—the low point in Sentier's household income series. 

"The period since August 2011 has been marked by an uneven, but generally upward trend in the level of real median annual household income," reports Sentier. "Many of the month-to-month changes in median income during this period have not been statistically significant. However, the cumulative effect of the various month-to-month changes since August 2011 resulted in the income improvement." Sentier's median household income estimates are derived from the Census Bureau's monthly Current Population Survey.   

Median household income in July 2014 was 2.9 percent below the median of June 2009, the end of the Great Recession. It was 4.6 percent below the median of December 2007, the start of the Great Recession. It was 5.7 percent below the median of January 2000. For more information on household income trends for the nation, states, and metropolitan areas, visit the Sentier Research web site.

Source: Sentier Research, Household Income Trends: July 2014

Household Wealth, 2007 to 2013

Bad news: Americans are still reeling from the Great Recession, according to the latest findings from the Survey of Consumer Finances. Median household net worth fell 40 percent between 2007 and 2013, after adjusting for inflation. Although most of that decline occurred between 2007 and 2010, net worth continued to drift downward between 2010 and 2013.

Median household net worth, 2007 to 2013 (in 2013 dollars)

2013: $81,200

2010: $82,800

2007: $135,400

Many households experienced double-digit declines in net worth between 2010 and 2013, after adjusting for inflation. Households headed by people aged 45 to 54, for example, saw their net worth fall by an additional 17 percent during those years, following a 39 percent decline between 2007 and 2010. Other household segments experiencing double-digit declines in net worth between 2010 and 2013 were those headed by people 55 to 64, aged 75 or older, without a high school diploma, with only some college, and the broad segment "nonwhites or Hispanics." 

Source: Federal Reserve Board, Survey of Consumer Finances

The Complete Guide to Young Adults in Four Numbers

Median annual earnings of 20-to-24-year-olds who are not in school, by highest level of educational attainment, 2000 and 2012 (in 2012 dollars)...

High school graduates
2000: $20,800
2012: $15,930

Bachelor's degree or more
2000: $29,700
2012: $24,990

Source: Forum on Child and Family Statistics, America's Young Adults, Special Issue 2014

Who Has a Basement?

Only 29 percent of the 569,000 new single-family homes completed in 2013 included a basement. Basements are uncommon in new homes because most are being built in the South, where basements are a rare commodity. Here is the number of new single-family homes completed in 2013 (and the percent with a basement) by region...

Northeast: 48,000 (71%)
Midwest: 96,000 (72%)
South: 296,000 (10%)
West: 129,000 (27%)

Source: Census Bureau, Characteristics of New Housing

Big Cities Are More Affordable than You Think

When comparing the cost of living in various cities, housing dominates the discussion. That's because housing is our biggest expense. In 2012, the average American household spent $16,000 on shelter and utilities—32 percent of the household budget.

But according to an analysis of HUD data by the Citizens Budget Commission (CBC) of New York City, reported on in Better Cities and Towns, there is a second variable that should be included in the affordability equation: transportation, which is the the second biggest household expense. In 2012, the average household spent $9,000 on transportation—17 percent of the household budget.

Walkable cities with public transportation can be more affordable than sprawling cities where residents must devote a hefty portion of their budget to vehicles and gasoline. It turns out, New York City is affordable after all. The average New York City household spends only $5,752 annually on transportation—well below the national average. Long thought to be one of the most expensive places to live, the combined cost of housing and transportation in New York City is lower than in 13 of 22 cities examined by the CBC, including Miami, Atlanta, Phoenix, Seattle, Austin, and Jacksonville.

Source: Better Cities and Towns, Why San Francisco, New York and DC May Be More Affordable than You Thought

Characteristics of Minimum Wage Workers, 2013

The federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. Nationally, 3.3 million workers are paid minimum wage or less. Here are some of their characteristics...

Percent who work full-time: 35.5%
Percent with college experience: 42.2%
Percent who live in the South: 46.4%
Percent food prep workers: 46.7%
Percent aged 25 or older: 49.6%

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Characteristics of Minimum Wage Workers, 2013 (pdf)

Favorite Musician by Generation

"Who is your favorite singer/musician or band?"

Millennials: Beyoncé
Gen Xers: Metallica
Boomers: Beatles
Matures: Willie Nelson

Source: Harris Interactive, In the Great Debate over Beatles vs. Elvis, Beatles are America's Favorite Band while Elvis is Musical Artist Number Two

Grading the Public Schools, 2014

Percent of Americans who would give a grade of A or B to...

Public schools in the nation: 17%
Public schools in their community: 50%
Public school their oldest child attends: 67%

Source: PDK/Gallup Poll, 46th Annual PDK/Gallup Poll of the Public's Attitudes toward the Public Schools

Pets vs. Babies

Percent change in average household spending, 2006 to 2012 (in 2012 dollars)...

Pet food: +29%
Pet supplies: +116%

Baby food: -35%
Baby clothes: -42%

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Expenditure Surveys

Who's Rich, by Age

The median net worth of the top 20 percent (highest quintile) of households was $630,754 in 2011 (the latest data available). Here is the median wealth of the highest quintile of households by age of householder...

Under age 35: $153,616
Aged 35 to 44: $448,824
Aged 45 to 54: $654,229
Aged 55 to 64: $889,867
Aged 65-plus: $899,608

Source: Census Bureau, Detailed Tables on Distribution of Wealth and Debt

Age Difference between Husbands and Wives, 2013

Percent distribution of married couples by age difference between husband and wife...

Husband 2+ years older than wife: 53%
Husband and wife within 1 year: 33%
Wife 2+ years older than husband: 14%

Source: Census Bureau, America's Families and Living Arrangements: 2013

The Police: Friend or Enemy?

"Do you generally think of the police more as friends, more as enemies, or don't you think of them in either of these ways?" asks a New York Times/CBS News poll.

Overall, 42 percent of Americans regard the police as their friend, 10 percent regard the police as their enemy, and 44 percent say the police are neither friend nor enemy. Here is the percentage of Americans who think of the police as their friend (or their enemy)...

Blacks: 23% (13%)
Whites: 49% (9%)

Men: 36% (15%)
Women: 48% (7%)

Aged 18-44: 29% (16%)
Aged 45-plus: 53% (5%)

Source: New York Times and CBS News, Reactions to the Shooting in Ferguson, Mo., Have Sharp Racial Divides

Trends in Household Debt, 2000 to 2011

Percentage of households with any debt (and median debt), 2000 to 2011 (in 2011 dollars)...

2011: 69.0% ($70,000)
2010: 69.6% ($74,300)
2009: 72.0% ($72,900)
2005: 73.6% ($71,800)
2004: 73.8% ($69,000)
2002: 74.9% ($56,400)
2000: 74.2% ($49,600)

Source: Census Bureau, Detailed Tables on Debt

Plunge in Teen Birth Rate

Teen births were not a problem in 1960. They were the norm. For every 1,000 women aged 15 to 19 in 1960, fully 89.1 babies were born. Today, there are only 26.6 babies born for every 1,000 women aged 15 to 19—a 70 percent decline. The overall birth rate in 2013 (62.9 births per 1,000 women aged 15 to 44) is lower than the teen birth rate of 1960.

Teen births became a problem as marriage became less important. In 1960, half of women were married by age 20.3. Most "teen" births were to married women. Today, the median age at first marriage is 26.6 and most teen births are to single mothers.

Source: National Center for Health Statistics, National and State Patterns of Teen Birth in the United States, 1940-2013

Who Carries the Most Cash?

Austrians carry the most cash, according to a Federal Reserve Bank of Boston analysis of payment diary surveys in a number of countries. In Austria, the average person has $114 in his or her wallet (in US dollars). Germany is second, with the average person carrying $94. In the United States, the average person carries only $37.

The popularity of cash varies by country. Austrians and Germans carry more cash than Americans because they use cash more often. In both Austria and Germany, fully 82 percent of transactions are paid with cash versus 46 percent of transactions in the United States. Debit cards are more popular in the U.S., accounting for 26 percent of transactions versus only 13 to 14 percent of those in Austria and Germany. Credit cards account for a substantial 19 percent of transactions in the United States versus just 2 percent in Austria and Germany.

Source: Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, Consumer Cash Usage: A Cross-Country Comparison with Payment Diary Survey Data

Death Rates by State

The overall age-adjusted death rate was 741.3 deaths per 100,000 population in 2011. By state, the death rate ranged from a low of 584.9 in Hawaii to a high of 956.1 in Mississippi. These are the five states with the lowest and highest age-adjusted death rates...

LOWEST
1. Hawaii
2. California
3. Minnesota
4. Connecticut
5. New York

HIGHEST
1. Mississippi
2. West Virginia
3. Alabama
4. Oklahoma
5. Kentucky

Source: CDC, QuickStats: Age-Adjusted Death Rates, by State—United States, 2011

Eating Organic

Overall, 45 percent of Americans aged 18 or older say they actively try to include organic food in their diet. The figure is highest in the West (54%) and in cities (50%). By age, this is the percentage who try to eat organic...

Aged 18 to 29: 53%
Aged 30 to 49: 48%
Aged 50 to 64: 45 %
Aged 65-plus: 33%

Source: Gallup, Forty-Five Percent of Americans Seek Out Organic Foods

Time Spent Looking for Work

Looking for work became a bigger job after the Great Recession, according to an analysis of American Time Use Survey data by the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland.

On an average day in 2003-07 (before the Great Recession), 20 percent of the unemployed searched for a job. On an average day in 2008-12 (during and after the Great Recession), a larger 24 percent of the unemployed spent time looking for work.

The intensity of the job search varies by educational attainment. On an average day in 2008-12, only 17 percent of unemployed high school dropouts spent time looking for work versus 23 percent of those with a high school diploma or associate's degree and fully 35 percent of those with a bachelor's degree. Among those who looked for work on an average day, the time devoted to job search ranged from a low of 28 minutes among unemployed high school dropouts to 67 minutes for unemployed college graduates.

Source: Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, Job Search Before and After the Great Recession

Most Out-of-Wedlock Births are In-Cohabiting-Union

Among the nearly 4 million babies born in 2013, a substantial 40.6 percent were born to a single mother, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. This figure has barely changed despite the 14 percent decline in the birth rate of unmarried women since 2007.

A closer look at the nation's "single" mothers, based on 2006-10 data from the National Survey of Family Growth, reveals that most are not single at all. The 58 percent majority are in a cohabiting union, according to NCHS.

Source: National Center for Health Statistics, Recent Declines in Nonmarital Childbearing in the United States

Household Economic Well-Being in 2013

Disturbing findings have emerged from a Federal Reserve Board survey of the economic well-being of American households in 2013. While the average household is doing alright, many are not. The struggling segments are large enough to raise eyebrows and pose a potential threat to the stability of the overall U.S. economy. These are the some of the worrisome findings...

• 34% of households say they are worse off financially than they were five years ago. 
• 45% did not save any portion of their income in 2012.
• 58% do not have a rainy day fund that could cover expenses for three months.
• 45% of renters say they rent because they can't afford a down payment.
• 24% of households have education debt, owing a median of $15,000.
• 37% of those with education debt say the cost outweighs the benefits.
• 44% of households bought lottery tickets in the past year; only 33% own stock.
• 54% would have to go into debt or be unable to pay an unexpected $400 expense.
• 28% of householders aged 60-plus say their retirement plan is to keep working.

Source: Federal Reserve, Report on the Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2013

The Demographics of Lying

Who lies? Apparently older people lie more than younger ones, according to a Harris survey that asked Americans about lying.

When asked whether they have ever lied to their parents, a substantial 61 percent of 18-to-34-year-olds admitted lying to their parents at some point in their lives. The percentage of Americans who say they have ever lied to their parents falls steeply with age to just 25 percent of people aged 65 or older. The older folks are either lying about lying or they are memory impaired.

Another question on the survey about lying: did respondents think others would lie when answering the survey? The 69 percent majority said "yes," they thought others would lie. But when respondents were asked whether they themselves had lied when answering the survey, only 6 percent said yes.

Death by Heat, Cold, Lightning

The weather killed more than 10,000 Americans in the 2006-10 time period, according to a report by the National Center for Health Statistics. Here is the breakdown of deaths by type of weather...

Heat: 3,332
Cold: 6,660
Storms: 657

The heat-related death rate is highest in the West's largest cities. The cold-related death rate is highest in West's rural areas. The storm-related (flooding, lightning) death rate is highest in the rural South.

Source: National Center for Health Statistics, Deaths Attributed to Heat, Cold, and Other Weather Events in the United States, 2006-2010

How Many Shop for Groceries?

Fourteen percent of Americans aged 15 or older (one in seven) shop for groceries on an average day. Women are more likely than men to get groceries, but not much more...

Percent grocery shopping on an average day
Men: 11%
Women: 17%

The likelihood of grocery shopping on an average day peaks among men aged 55 or older (13 percent) and women aged 35 to 54 (21 percent).

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, unpublished data from the 2013 American Time Use Survey

Very Slow Recovery in Consumer Spending

The recovery in consumer spending in the aftermath of the Great Recession has been unusually slow, according to an analysis by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York in its Liberty Street Economics blog. Both nondiscretionary service spending (housing, financial, and health care) as well as discretionary service spending (everything else) fell off a cliff during the Great Recession and remain well below expected levels based on past trends.

• Real per capita consumer spending on discretionary services in the first quarter of 2014 was only 4.4 percent above the level of the Great Recession trough. In an average slow recovery, this spending would be 10.0 percent above the trough. 
• Real per capita consumer spending on nondiscretionary services in the first quarter of 2014 was only 4.1 percent above the level of the Great Recession trough. In an average slow recovery, this spending would be 9.2 percent above the trough. 

The lingering effects of the Great Recession still grip the nation. "It appears that households remain—almost five years after the end of the recession—wary about their future income growth and employment prospects," conclude the researchers.

Source: Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Liberty Street Economics, The Slow Recovery in Consumer Spending

Median Retirement Savings Is Growing

Median amount households have saved for retirement, 2014 (and 2007), by generation...

Boomers: $127, 000 ($75,000)
Gen Xers: $70,000 ($32,000)
Millennials: $32,000 ($9,000)

Note: Median excludes those who said they were unsure or declined to answer—23 percent of Millennials, 17 percent of Gen Xers, and 19 percent of Boomers.
Source: Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies, 15th Annual Transamerica Retirement Survey, The Retirement Readiness of Three Unique Generations: Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Millennials

Health Decline in Older Americans

As people age, their health declines. That's a given. But how steep is the decline and is it the same for everyone? These are the questions asked and answered by a National Bureau of Economic Research study, "The Persistence and Heterogeneity of Health among Older Americans" (Working Paper 20306).

Using longitudinal data from the Health and Retirement Study, NBER researchers compared the health status of 53-to-63-year-olds in 1994 with the cohort's health status (and survival rate) through 2010 by educational attainment and race and Hispanic origin. Better health at the beginning of the time period, the researchers found, resulted in better health (and a higher survival rate) at the end of the time period. Other findings...

•  Educational attainment is the single biggest determinant of health status throughout the aging process. Among 53-to-63-year-olds in 1994, the average health percentile of those with a college degree was 72.0 compared with an average health percentile of only 47.6 percent for their counterparts without a high school diploma. This large gap persisted over the years, even as each educational group experienced a decline in health.
• The decline in health as people age occurs at about the same rate regardless of education. "Over time, health declines by approximately the same amount (in percentiles) for persons at all levels of education," say the researchers. But those who begin the aging process in better health (the college educated) remain in relatively better health as they age, and they experience a lower mortality rate.
• Differences in educational attainment explain most of the gap in the health status of whites and blacks.

Household Income Stable in June 2014

Median household income was $53,891 in June 2014, according to Sentier Research, a statistically insignificant $368 more than in May after adjusting for inflation. The June 2014 median was 1.3 percent higher than the June 2013 figure, however, and 4.0 percent higher than the $51,796 of August 2011—the low point in Sentier's household income series. 

"The period since August 2011 has been marked by an uneven, but generally upward trend in the level of real median annual household income," reports Sentier. "Many of the month-to-month changes in median income during this period have not been statistically significant. However, the cumulative effect of the various month-to-month changes since August 2011 resulted in the income improvement." Sentier's median household income estimates are derived from the Census Bureau's monthly Current Population Survey.

Median household income in June 2014 was 3.1 percent below the median of June 2009, the end of the Great Recession. It was 4.8 percent below the median of December 2007, the start of the Great Recession. It was 5.9 percent below the median of January 2000. For more information on household income trends for the nation, states, and metropolitan areas, visit the Sentier Research web site.

Source: Sentier Research, Household Income Trends: June 2014

Median Net Worth of Households Still Falling

The median net worth of American households continues to decline, according to a research brief for the Recession Trends initiative, a joint effort of the Russell Sage Foundation and the Stanford Center on Poverty and Inequality. Examining early release data from the nationally representative Panel Study of Income Dynamics, the researchers took a look at trends in median household wealth (assets minus debts) through 2013. It was not a pretty picture...

Median household net worth (in 2013 dollars)
2013: $56,335
2009: $70,801
2007: $98,872
2003: $87,992

"Through at least 2013, there are very few signs of significant recovery from the losses in wealth experienced by American families during the Great Recession," report the researchers. "Declines in net worth from 2007 to 2009 were large, and the declines continued through 2013."

Source: Russell Sage Foundation, Wealth Levels, Wealth Inequality, and the Great Recession

The Geography of Debt

In a first-of-a-kind analysis, the Urban Institute examines how debt varies by state and metropolitan area. The researchers examined 2013 credit bureau data from TransUnion, which has files on almost every American adult (91 percent)—whether they have debt or not. Most do have debt. Of the 91 percent of Americans with a credit file, fully 80 percent have debt.

The Urban Institute researchers looked at the geographic variation in the percentage of Americans with a nonmortgage bill past due (between 30 and 180 days late) and/or in collections (more than 180 days late). Debt in collections could be credit card, medical, or utility bills, even a parking ticket or club membership. They can remain on a credit file for as long as seven years. While only 5 percent of Americans with a credit file have a bill past due, a much larger 35 percent have debt in collections (median amount owed = $1,349). The percentage with debt in collections varies greatly by state and metro area and is concentrated in the South, the Urban Institute reports.

Among states, Nevada is the worst—fully 47 percent of the state's residents with a credit file have debt in collections. In 12 other states (11 of them in the South), the figure is more than 40 percent. At the other extreme, a smaller 20 percent of the residents of Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota have debt in collections.

Among the 100 largest metro areas, the percentage of residents with debt in collections ranges from a low of 20.1 percent in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, to a high of 51.7 percent in McAllen, Texas. Other metros with at least 45 percent of residents having debt in collections are Las Vegas (49.2 percent), Lakeland, Florida (47.3 percent), Columbia, South Carolina (45.2 percent), and Jacksonville, Florida (45.0 percent).

Source: Urban Institute, Delinquent Debt in America

First-Time Homebuyer Watch: 2nd Quarter, 2014

Homeownership rate of householders aged 30 to 34, second quarter 2014: 46.5%

The homeownership rate of householders aged 30 to 34 has fallen to a record low. The 46.5 percent rate recorded for this age group in the second quarter of 2014 was a full 1.0 percentage points below their rate in the first quarter of 2014 and 1.9 percentage points below their rate one year ago. 

Householders aged 30 to 34 were once the nation's first-time homebuyers. Historically, this was the age group in which homeownership became the norm—rising above 50 percent. But beginning in 2007, the homeownership rate of 30-to-34-year-olds went into a tailspin. In the second quarter of 2011, the rate fell below 50 percent for the first time. The downward slide continues.

The only good news for the housing industry in the Census Bureau's latest release is the stability in the homeownership rate of householders aged 35 to 39—the new age of first-time home buying. The homeownership rate of 35-to-39-year-olds climbed slightly in the second quarter of 2014 to 56.7 percent, up from 56.5 percent in the first quarter. The rate for this age group bottomed out at 55.3 percent in the first quarter of 2013 and has climbed slowly in most quarters since then. But the homeownership rate of 35-to-39-year-olds in the second quarter of 2014 is more than 10 percentage points below their peak of 67.4 percent recorded in the first quarter of 2005.

Nationally, the homeownership rate slipped to 64.7 percent in the second quarter of 2014, down from 65.0 percent one year ago.

Source: Census Bureau, Housing Vacancy Survey

Are You Overweight?

Few overweight 8-to-15-year-olds perceive themselves as being overweight, according to a study by the National Center for Health Statistics. Only 23 percent of overweight children think they are overweight. Fully 76 percent say their weight is "about right." Weight problems are not perceived by most children until they are obese. Among obese 8-to-15-year-olds, 57 percent say they are overweight. But even among the obese, a substantial 42 percent say their weight is "about right."

"Accurate self-perception of weight status has been linked to appropriate weight control behaviors in youth," concludes the report. "Understanding the prevalence of weight status misperception among U.S. children and adolescents may help inform public health interventions."

Source: National Center for Health Statistics, Perception of Weight Status in U.S. Children and Adolescents Aged 8-15 Years, 2005-2012

Shopping for Clothes

Percentage of Americans who have ever purchased clothing online, by generation...

Total adults: 69%
Millennials: 68%
Gen Xers: 77%
Boomers: 70%
Matures: 61%

Although most Americans have bought clothing online, only 13 percent would prefer to do so. A much larger 65 percent (including 59 percent of Millennials) would prefer to shop for clothes in-person at a brick and mortar store.

Source: Harris Interactive, Though Majority of Americans Have Made a Virtual Purchase, They Still See Virtue in the In-Person Shopping Experience

Out-of-Pocket Health Care Expenses

How much do Americans spend out-of-pocket on health care expenses—the co-pays, deductibles, and other amounts not covered by insurance? Among those with health care expenses, average out-of-pocket spending amounted to $703 per person in 2011 (the latest data available), according to the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. These figures do not include out-of-pocket spending on health insurance, and they vary greatly by age and insurance status.

Annual out-of-pocket health care expenses per person, by age and insurance status:
Under age 65
Private insurance: $682
Public insurance: $253
No health insurance: $725

Aged 65 or older
Medicare only: $1,177
Medicare & private: $1,362
Medicare and other public: $605

Source: Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, Out-of-Pocket Health Care Expenses by Age and Insurance Coverage, 2011

College Debt, but No Degree

College debt is a burden, but the benefits outweigh the costs for those who earn a bachelor's degree, according to a study by the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland. "The labor market bonus for completing a college degree is not fully realized in the early years of working," the study finds. Rather, the benefits begin to accrue in middle-age when, "In many professions, a college degree combined with work experience opens the door to senior-level administrative positions and higher salaries."

It's another story for those who take on college debt but do not earn a degree. A substantial percentage of young adults are in the "some college" category—32 percent of householders aged 22 to 29. Those with some college but no degree will get little to no income boost from their time spent on a college campus. If they took on debt to pay for their college years, they are likely to end up worse off than if they had never gone to college at all.

Source: Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, A College Education Saddles Young Households with Debt, but Still Pays Off

How Many Babies?

In 2013, the nation's fertility rate hit an all-time low of 62.9 births per 1,000 women aged 15 to 44. Only 3,958,000 babies were born. How many babies would have been born if the fertility rate in 2013 had equaled the rate in...

2007: 4,374,000
2000: 4,148,000
1990: 4,462,000
1980: 4,305,000
1970: 5,532,000
1960: 7,427,000

Source: National Center for Health Statistics, Birth Data

Shifting Hours for Computer Workers

The computer and mathematical occupational category has long been one of the younger professions, but the nation's computer whizzes are getting older and aging has consequences.

The median age of those employed in computer and mathematical occupations grew from 39.4 years in 2004 to 41.1 years in 2012. The largest share of these workers was in the 25-to-34 age group in 2004. By 2012, the plurality was aged 35 to 44—the age group most likely to be raising children.

Parenthood might explain this finding from the American Time Use Survey: the work hours of those employed in computer and mathematical occupations have shifted from late night to a more traditional schedule. The percentage who worked during the morning hours grew substantially between 2003-07 and 2011-12, while fewer worked late at night. Here are the percentages who were on the job at each hour of the morning in 2011-12 (versus 2003-07)...

8:00 am: 52.1% (42.8)
9:00 am: 72.8% (70.0)
10:00 am: 82.4% (72.5)
11:00 am: 87.0% (77.8)

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, American Time Use Survey

Peak Ice Cream

For more than 100 years, the USDA has recorded how much ice cream we eat. In 1909, the first year on record, Americans consumed only 1.6 pounds of ice cream per capita. We wanted more: ice cream consumption climbed for decades and peaked in 1946 at 22.7 pounds per person. Today, we eat only about half that much ice cream—12.9 pounds per person.

But there's a catch. The USDA distinguishes ice cream from "low-fat ice cream" (ice milk) and frozen yogurt. As Americans cut their ice cream consumption, they boosted their consumption of low-fat ice cream and frozen yogurt. Consequently, the average American consumes a total of 23.9 pounds of frozen dairy products annually, which is almost identical to the 24.0 pounds of frozen dairy products consumed in 1946. In addition to eating 12.9 pounds of ice cream each year, we also eat 6.9 pounds of low-fat ice cream, 1.4 pounds of frozen yogurt, 0.9 pounds of sherbet, and 1.8 pounds of other frozen dairy products.

Source: USDA, Economic Research Service, Trends in U.S. Per Capita Consumption of Dairy Products, 1970-2012

The Cost of Health Insurance in 2013

Average total cost of health insurance for employees in the private sector, 2013:

Single coverage: $5,571
Family coverage: $16,029

The average worker pays only a fraction of that cost, while his or her employer pays the rest. In 2013, employees in the private sector paid only 21 percent of the full cost for single coverage ($1,170) and 28 percent of the full cost for family coverage ($4,421).

Source: Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, Selection and Costs for Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance in the Private Sector, 2013 versus 2012

Eating Healthy When Eating Out

Americans eat out a lot, which is a problem for those attempting to eat a healthy diet. In a grocery store, foods are labeled with calorie and nutrition information. Restaurant food does not come with a label—but it will. The Affordable Care Act requires restaurants with 20 or more locations to post on their menu the calorie content of each item, with nutrition information available for the asking.

Some restaurants already provide this information. So the USDA surveyed the public to see who noticed these early efforts and to establish a baseline for measuring the impact of the ACA requirements. The survey found few customers noticing food labels, but many of those who did used the information when ordering food. Among the 90 percent of Americans who ate at a fast-food/pizza restaurant in the past 12 months, only 22 percent noticed nutrition information on the menu. Among those who noticed, a substantial 42 percent used it when ordering.

Who is most likely to notice and use restaurant food labels? Not surprisingly, it is those who self-report their diet health as excellent. Twenty-eight percent of those with excellent diet health noticed nutrition labeling versus 20 percent of those who self-report their diet health as poor. Among people who noticed, those with excellent diet health were much more likely than those with poor diet health to use the information when ordering (53 versus 31 percent).

As food labeling becomes widespread, it's likely that more Americans will take notice and act on the information to lower their calorie intake and improve their diet. As restaurants respond, it may become easier to eat healthy when eating out.

Source: USDA, Economic Research Service, Consumers' Use of Nutrition Information When Eating Out, Economic Information Bulletin, June 2014

Sexual Orientation and Health Status, 2013

The federal government is now tracking the health of Americans by sexual orientation. Beginning in 2013, questions about sexual orientation were included in the National Health Interview Survey, allowing government researchers to examine the health status, health behaviors, and health care access of the U.S. population by sexual orientation.

"Which of the following best represents how you think of yourself?" is the question asked by the National Health Interview Survey. Respondents could identify themselves as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or straight. Overall, 97.7 percent of Americans identify themselves as straight, including 97.8 percent of men and 97.7 percent of women. There are significant differences by age in the percentage who identify themselves as gay, lesbian, or bisexual...

Percentage who are gay, lesbian, or bisexual
Total, aged 18-plus: 2.3%
Aged 18 to 44: 2.9%
Aged 45 to 64: 2.2%
Aged 65-plus: 0.8%

Differences in health status by sexual orientation were evident in this first look. Among 18-to-64-year-olds, those who identify themselves as gay, lesbian, or bisexual are more likely than those who are straight to smoke cigarettes. Bisexual men and women are more likely than their straight counterparts to have experienced serious psychological distress in the past 30 days. Health insurance coverage, prevalence of obesity, physical fitness, and more is in the report.

Source: National Center for Health Statistics, Sexual Orientation and Health among U.S. Adults: National Health Interview Survey, 2013

Who Follows Major League Baseball?

Overall, 37 percent of Americans aged 18 or older say they follow major league baseball. There are surprisingly few differences in the percentage of people who are baseball fans by demographic characteristic, with the figure ranging from 35 to 40 percent by generation, 34 to 42 percent by race and Hispanic origin, 32 to 47 percent by education, and 31 to 45 percent by household income. There is a bigger gap by sex (27 percent of women and 47 percent of men), but the biggest difference is by region...

Percentage of adults who follow major league baseball by region
Northeast: 46%
Midwest: 46%
West: 38%
South: 25%

Source: Harris Interactive, For More than a Decade, the NY Yankees Have Been America's Favorite Baseball Team

Millennials Feel Less Entitled than Older Generations

A study in the journal Psychological Science finds that young adults who come of age during recessions are much less narcissistic than those who come of age during economic boom times. Here's how Science News (June 28, 2014), which reported on the study, explains it: "Narcissists view themselves as superior in all situations, feel entitled to special treatment and expect to always succeed and be admired and praised."

Know anyone with those characteristics? If so, their self-satisfaction could be a consequence of when they came of age (were in the 18 to 25 age group). The most narcissistic cohorts came of age in the early 1950s, mid-1960s, or mid-1990s—all times when the unemployment rate was relatively low, jobs were plentiful, and the living was easy. In contrast, today's young adults—the Millennial generation came of age during the Great Recession, when unemployment was sky high, jobs were scarce, and life was a struggle. Today's young adults feel less entitled, a feeling that may last a lifetime. "Hard economic times deflate young adults' self-regard for many decades," reports Science News.

Biggest STEM States

Nationally, 12.4 percent of college graduates aged 25 to 64 are employed in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematical) occupations. Here are the states with the highest and lowest percentages of college graduates employed in STEM jobs...

Highest
Maryland: 18.8%
Washington: 18.0%
Virginia: 16.5%
Colorado: 15.1%
California: 15.0%

Lowest
Mississippi: 6.8%
North Dakota: 7.1%
Nevada: 8.3%
Arkansas: 8.4%
Kentucky: 8.5%

Source: Census Bureau, Employment Statistics of College Graduates

16% of Women Are Childless

How many women never have children? Sixteen percent, according to the latest analysis by the Census Bureau, which uses data on the childbearing experience of women aged 40 to 50 to measure what demographers call "completed fertility." By the 40-to-50 age group, most women who will have children have already done so.

Childlessness varies by demographic characteristic. Hispanics, for example, are less likely to be childless than other race and Hispanic origin groups. Only 13 percent of Hispanic women aged 40 to 50 are childless versus 17 percent of non-Hispanic whites. The biggest difference is by educational attainment. Among women aged 40 to 50 with a graduate degree, 23 percent are childless—nearly double the 12 percent childless among their counterparts without a high school diploma.

Since 2000, childlessness has increased among women under age 30. Behind the increase is greater college enrollment and the Great Recession, both of which have caused young adults to delay childbearing. In contrast, women aged 35 to 44 were less likely to be childless in 2012 than their counterparts in 2000.

Percent of women who were childless in 2012 (and in 2000)
Aged 15 to 19: 94.9% (90.5%)
Aged 20 to 24: 71.4% (63.6%)
Aged 25 to 29: 49.4% (44.2%)
Aged 30 to 34: 28.2% (28.1%)
Aged 35 to 39: 17.2% (20.1%)
Aged 40 to 44: 15.1% (19.0%)
Aged 45 to 50: 16.8% (not available)

Source: Census Bureau, Fertility of Women in the United States: 2012

Telephone Status: July-December 2013

Landline phones continue to disappear, according to a semiannual update by the National Center for Health Statistics. This was the telephone status of U.S. adults as of July-December 2013 (versus July-December 2010)...

Landline and wireless: 52% (59%)
Wireless only: 39% (28%)
Landline only: 7% (11%)
No telephone: 2% (2%)

Not surprisingly, younger adults are far more likely to live in a wireless-only household. In the last half of 2013, most adults under age 35 were wireless-only, the figure peaking at 66 percent among those aged 25 to 29...

Live in wireless-only household by age
18 to 24: 53%
25 to 29: 66%
30 to 34: 60%
35 to 44: 48%
45 to 64: 31%
65-plus: 14%

Also more likely to live in wireless-only households are the poor (56%), Hispanics (53%), and renters (62%).

Source: National Center for Health Statistics, Wireless Substitution: Early Release of Estimates from the National Health Interview Survey, July-December 2013

Nursing Home Population Plummets

The number of nursing home residents aged 65 or older fell by a substantial 19 percent between 2000 and 2010, according to a Census Bureau report on the older population...

Number of people aged 65 or older who live in a nursing home
2010: 1,252,635
2000: 1,557,800

During those years, the percentage of people aged 65-plus who live in a nursing home fell from 4.6 to 3.1 percent. "The declining trend may partly reflect a growing preference for alternative settings for long-term care," notes the report.

Source: Census Bureau, 65+ in the United States: 2010

Naturalized Citizens, 2013

779,929 foreign-born residents of the United States became naturalized citizens in 2013. The annual number of naturalizations has been generally rising over the past few decades, and the 2013 figure ranks fifth in a data series that extends back to the early 20th century.

Asia is the leading region of birth for naturalized citizens (35 percent). Mexico is the leading country of birth (13 percent), followed by India, Philippines, Dominican Republic, and China. The median age of newly naturalized citizens is 40.

Source: Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Naturalizations: 2013

Household Income Stable in May 2014

Median household income was $53,385 in May 2014, according to Sentier Research, a statistically insignificant $240 more than in April after adjusting for inflation. The May 2014 median was 1.3 percent higher than the May 2013 figure, however, and 3.3 percent higher than the $51,663 of August 2011—the low point in Sentier's household income series. 

"The period since August 2011 has been marked by an uneven, but generally upward trend in the level of real median annual household income," reports Sentier. "Many of the month-to-month changes in median income during this period have not been statistically significant. However, the cumulative effect of the various month-to-month changes since August 2011 resulted in the income improvement." Sentier's median household income estimates are derived from the Census Bureau's monthly Current Population Survey.

Median household income in May 2014 was 3.7 percent below the median of June 2009, the end of the Great Recession. It was 5.4 percent below the median of December 2007, the start of the Great Recession. It was 6.6 percent below the median of January 2000. For more information on household income trends for the nation, states, and metropolitan areas, visit the Sentier Research web site.

Source: Sentier Research, Household Income Trends: May 2014

Population Growth, 2010 to 2013

The U.S. population grew by 6.8 million between 2010 and 2013. Here is the numerical gain during those three years by race and Hispanic origin...

Hispanics: 3,323,989
Asians: 1,633,868
Blacks: 1,659,412
Non-Hispanic whites: 445,578

Source: Census Bureau, National Characteristics: Vintage 2013

Men Playing Games

Young men spend a lot of time playing computer games, according to the American Time Use Survey. Everyone knows this, but here are the facts.

Teenagers are most likely to play games. On an average day in 2013, a substantial 35 percent of boys aged 15 to 19 spent time playing games. The time use category "playing games" includes computer games as well as card games (bridge, poker) and board games (Monopoly). There's no doubt most are playing computer games. Teenage boys who play games on an average day devote more than half (54 percent) of their leisure time to games—2.65 of their 4.93 hours of leisure.

It gets worse. Although men aged 20 to 24 are less likely than 15-to-19-year-olds to play games on an average day (24 versus 35 percent), those who do devote a larger 3.73 hours to game playing—fully 77 percent of their leisure time. No wonder the nation's fertility rate is at a record low.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, detailed tables from the 2013 American Time Use Survey