Who Takes Prescription Drugs?

Nearly half of Americans are currently taking a prescription drug, according to Health, United States, 2014. In the past 30 days, 47 percent of the public has taken at least one prescription drug, 21 percent three or more, and 10 percent five or more. By age, here is the percentage who have taken at least one prescription drug in the past month...

Percent taking at least one prescription drug in past 30 days
Under age 18: 23.5%
Aged 18 to 44: 38.1%
Aged 45 to 64: 67.2%
Aged 65-plus: 89.8%

Source: National Center for Health Statistics, Health, United States, 2014

When Are Babies Born?

The 53 percent majority of American babies are born between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., thanks to induced deliveries, Cesareans, and other miracles of modern medicine. Here are the most and least likely hours of birth for babies born in 2013...

Most likely: 6.3% of babies were born at 8 a.m.
Least likely: 2.7% of babies were born at 3:00 or 4:00 a.m.

Source: National Center for Health Statistics, When Are Babies Born: Morning, Noon, or Night? Birth Certificate Data for 2013

Hispanics Without Health Insurance

Hispanics are less likely to have health insurance than any other segment of the population. The problem is particularly acute among those of working age—18 to 64. According to a CDC study, fully 41.5 percent of Hispanics aged 18 to 64 did not have health insurance in 2011-13. Among non-Hispanic Whites in the age group, a much smaller 15.1 percent were uninsured.

It gets worse. The likelihood that working-age Hispanics have health insurance depends on where they were born. Among those born in the United States, a smaller 25.9 percent are uninsured. Among foreign-born Hispanics, the 54.7 percent majority does not have health insurance. There are also big differences in insurance coverage by Hispanic ethnicity. The percentage of Hispanics aged 18 to 64 who are without health insurance ranges from a low of 15.1 percent among Cuban Hispanics born in the United States to a high of 59.7 percent among foreign-born Mexican Hispanics. 

Source: CDC, Vital Signs: Leading Causes of Death, Prevalence of Diseases and Risk Factors, and Use of Health Services among Hispanics in the United States—2009-2013

Interest in Politics by Generation

Older Americans are more interested in politics than younger adults. When asked the question, "How interested would you say you personally are in politics?" fewer than half of Millennials and barely half of Gen Xers say they are "very" or "fairly" interested. According to a Demo Memo analysis of the 2014 General Social Survey, here are the numbers...

Percent "very" or "fairly" interested in politics
Millennials: 46%
Generation X: 51%
Baby Boomers: 66%
Older Americans: 73%

Voting rates by age closely matches those percentages. Here are the voting rates in the 2012 presidential election, according to the Census Bureau...

Percent voting in 2012 presidential election
Aged 18 to 24: 41%
Aged 25 to 44: 57%
Aged 45 to 64: 68%
Aged 65-plus: 72%

Note: In 2014, Millennials were 20 to 37, Gen Xers were 38 to 49, Boomers were 50 to 68.
Source: Demo Memo analysis of the 2014 General Social Survey

12% Run Out of Money

How many of the oldest Americans run out of money before they die? One in eight, according to a study by the Employee Benefit Research Institute.

Using data from the University of Michigan's Health and Retirement Study, EBRI researchers examined the assets of households in which a household member aged 50 or older had died between the 2010 and 2012 surveys. By age of the household member who died, here is the percentage of households with zero non-housing assets in 2010—before the death of the household member...

Percentage of households with non-housing assets = zero before death
Aged 50 to 64: 37.2%
Aged 65 to 74: 25.3%
Aged 75 to 84: 18.5%
Aged 85-plus: 20.6%

The researchers also looked at total assets to determine the percentage of households with no assets at all before the death of the household member. Here are those numbers by age of the deceased...

Percentage of households with total assets = zero before death
Aged 50 to 64: 29.8%
Aged 65 to 74: 15.8%
Aged 75 to 84: 10.5%
Aged 85-plus: 12.2%

Source: Employee Benefit Research Institute, A Look at the End-of-Life Financial Situation in America

Working Parents in 2014

For most families with children under age 18, all parents in the household are employed. Here are the percentages in 2014 by type of family and age of children...

Married couple families, both mother and father employed
Total with children under age 18: 60.2%
With children aged 6 to 17 only: 70.4%
With children under age 6: 55.3%

Female-headed single-parent families, mother employed
Total with children under age 18: 69.4%
With children aged 6 to 17 only: 74.3%
With children under age 6: 62.1%

Male-headed single-parent families, father employed
Total with children under age 18: 81.9%
With children aged 6 to 17 only: 81.3%
With children under age 6: 82.7%

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Characteristics of Families—2014

Fewer Expect to Buy a Home

Among the millions of Americans who do not own a home, 41 percent say it is unlikely they will buy a home in the foreseeable future. Two years ago, in 2013, only 31 percent felt that way.

Source: Gallup, In U.S., Fewer Non-Homeowners Expect to Buy a Home

Print Still Dominates Newspaper Readership

One of the many topics examined in Pew's State of the News Media 2015 report is media consumption by platform. Interestingly, print remains the dominant platform for newspaper readers—a potentially worrisome finding. Here is the distribution of newspaper readership by platform...

Distribution of newspaper readership by platform
Print only: 55%
Print/desktop: 15%
Print/desktop/mobile: 10%
Desktop only: 7%
Desktop/mobile: 5%
Print/mobile: 4%
Mobile only: 3%

Why is the continued dominance of print so worrisome? Because newspaper readership is declining. Only 24 percent of Americans aged 18 or older read a newspaper every day, according to the 2014 General Social Survey, down from 53 percent in pre-Internet 1990. Among Millennials, the figure is just 14 percent. The fact that print still dominates today's (shrinking) newspaper audience means younger generations are looking elsewhere for news.

Source: Pew Research Center, State of the News Media 2015 and 2014 General Social Survey

American Generations in 2014

The Millennial generation outnumbered Baby Boomers by more than 3 million in 2014, making it the largest generation by a considerable margin. One in four Americans is a Millennial. Here are the results of a Demo Memo analysis of the Census Bureau's population estimates, showing the size of each generation in 2014 (and its share of the total population)...

Recession (aged 0 to 4): 19,876,883 (6%)
iGeneration (aged 5 to 19): 62,258,719 (20%)
Millennial (aged 20 to 37): 78,511,320 (25%)
Generation X (aged 38 to 49): 49,318,533 (15%)
Baby Boom (aged 50 to 68): 75,438,644 (24%)
Older Americans (aged 69-plus): 33,452,957 (10%)

The generations are changing as they age. Between 2010 and 2014, the number of Older Americans fell by 7 million—a substantial 17 percent decline. The Baby-Boom generation is shrinking too, falling by 2 million during those years. In contrast, Generation X's numbers have been stable. Thanks to immigration, the Millennial generation grew by nearly 2 million between 2010 and 2014. The iGeneration is also expanding because of immigration. The Recession generation, the youngest, is growing the most as each annual crop of newborns joins its ranks.

Source: Demo Memo analysis of the Census Bureau's 2014 Population Estimates

First-Time Homebuyer Watch: 1st Quarter 2015

Homeownership rate of householders aged 30 to 34, first quarter 2015: 45.8%

The homeownership rate of households headed by people aged 30 to 34 fell to an all-time low in the first quarter of 2015. Historically, homeownership became the norm in the 30-to-34 age group—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. In the past year, the homeownership rate of the age group fell by a steep 1.7 percentage points, suggesting we haven't seen bottom yet. 

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 55.1 percent in the first quarter of 2015—also a record low. Since peaking in the first quarter of 2007, the homeownership rate of 35-to-39-year-olds has fallen by more than 10 percentage points. 

Nationally, the homeownership rate slipped to 63.7 percent in the first quarter of 2015, down from 64.8 percent a year earlier.

Source: Census Bureau, Housing Vacancy Survey

Debt of Retirees

Nine percent of the nation's retirees say debt is a major problem for them, and another 22 percent say it's a minor problem. Here is the percentage of retirees with debt by type...

Credit card: 27%
Mortgage: 23%
Car loan: 17%
Home equity loan: 17%
Medical debt: 14%
Student loan: 3%

Source: Employee Benefit Research Institute, 2015 Retirement Confidence Survey

Household Income Falls in March 2015

Median household income stood at $54,203 in March 2015, according to Sentier Research. This was 0.8 percent ($436) lower than the February median, a statistically significant decline. Despite the decline, the March 2015 median was 2.1 percent higher than the March 2014 median and 5.5 percent above the $51,358 median of August 2011—the low point in Sentier's household income series. 

"Even though there was an income decline between February and March," says Sentier's Gordon Green, "there has been a general upward trend in median income since the low point reached in August 2011." Sentier's median household income estimates are derived from the Census Bureau's monthly Current Population Survey. 

Median household income in March 2015 was 1.7 percent below the median of June 2009, the end of the Great Recession. It was 3.5 percent below the median of December 2007, the start of the Great Recession. It was 4.6 percent below the median of January 2000. The Household Income Index for March 2015 stood at 95.4 (January 2000 = 100.0).

Source: Sentier Research, Household Income Trends: March 2015

Worker Confidence in Retirement on the Rise

Twenty-two percent of workers are very confident they will have enough money for a comfortable retirement, according to the 2015 Retirement Confidence Survey. This figure is up from a record low of 13 percent following the Great Recession. Another 36 percent of workers are somewhat confident they will have enough.

But will the retirement plans of today's workers pan out? The experiences of today's retirees suggest they may not. Half of retirees in the 2015 survey say they retired earlier than planned, while a smaller 40 percent retired as planned. That's why the median age at which retirees say they retired (62) has not changed over the decades despite the fact that a growing share of workers plan to stay on the job until age 66-plus or never retire—the figure rising from 15 to 46 percent between 1995 and 2015.

Why do retirees leave the work force sooner than expected? Among 2015 retirees who retired earlier than planned, the single biggest reason was a worrisome one—health problems, cited by 60 percent. The second biggest reason (more than one could be cited) was positive: 31 percent were able to afford an earlier retirement. This was followed by downsizing or closure of their company (27 percent), having to care for a family member (22 percent), the desire to do something else (17 percent), and changes in the skills required for their job (10 percent).

With half of retirees leaving the workforce sooner than expected, today's workers need more than a retirement plan. They need a Retirement Plan B.

Source: Employee Benefit Research Institute, 2015 Retirement Confidence Survey

American Driving Survey

American drivers add 29.2 miles a day to their odometer—an average of 10,658 miles a year. They make two trips a day, on average, and spend 46 minutes behind the wheel. These numbers vary by demographic characteristic, according to the American Driving Survey. Sponsored by AAA and developed in partnership with the Urban Institute, the survey examines the demographics of driving.

• Women make more daily trips than men (2.2 versus 1.9), but men spend more time behind the wheel (51 minutes for men versus 41 minutes for women) and travel greater distances (34 versus 25 miles).
• Those who spend the most time driving are 30-to-49-year-olds. This age group makes 2.3 trips a day, drives 36 miles, and spends 54 minutes on the road.
• Americans who live in cities or medium-sized towns average 2.0 trips per day, not much different than the 2.1 trips per day for those who live in the countryside or small towns. But rural and small town residents drive longer distances (34 miles per day) than those who live in cities and medium-sized towns (27 miles). Those miles add up over a year, with rural folks putting an average of 12,264 miles on their odometer each year versus 9,709 for their urban counterparts. 
• On an average day, most drivers drive. Only 32 percent of American drivers did not drive on the survey's reporting day. 

The American Driving Survey examines in more detail the driving habits of teenagers aged 16 to 19 and people aged 75 or older. Not surprisingly, the percentage of teens who drive almost every day rises with age, from 25.7 percent among 16-year-olds to 50.5 percent among 19-year-olds. Among people aged 75 or older, 46 percent drive almost every day and 30 percent say they never drive.

Source: The Urban Institute and AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, American Driving Survey: Methodology and Year 1 Results, May 2013-May 2014

2002 High School Sophomores, 10 Years Later

The 57 percent majority of 2002 high school sophomores had earned a postsecondary credential by 2012-13, according to a report by the National Center for Education Statistics.

Educational attainment of 2002 high school sophomores in 2012-13
Master's degree or more: 8%
Bachelor's degree: 33%
Associate's degree: 10%
Undergraduate certificate: 7%
30+ postsecondary credits, no credential: 20%
0 to 30 postsecondary credits, no credential: 22%

In a longitudinal survey of high school sophomores, the federal government asked 10th graders in 2002 about their educational expectations. Ten years later, researchers compared expectations with reality and found they don't always align. Among 10th graders who expected to earn a bachelor's degree, a substantial 43 percent had no postsecondary credentials 10 years later and only 40 percent had earned a bachelor's degree.

Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Education Longitudinal Study of 2002 (ELS:2002): A First Look at the Postsecondary Transcripts of 2002 High School Sophomores

Health Insurance by Region, 2014

Overall, 16.7 percent of adults aged 18 to 64 were without health insurance when interviewed by the National Health Interview Survey in January-September 2014. Health insurance coverage of working-age adults varies greatly by region...

Percent of 18-to-64-year-olds without health insurance
  7.8% in New England states
12.7% in Middle Atlantic states
13.6% in East North Central states
13.7% in West North Central states
16.1% in Pacific states
16.7% in East South Central states
18.0% in Mountain states
20.4% in South Atlantic states
25.2% in West South Central states

Source: National Center for Health Statistics, Health Insurance Coverage: Early Release of Estimates from the National Health Interview Survey, January-September 2014

Navigating by Smartphone

Two out of three (67 percent) smartphone owners use their phones for turn-by-turn navigation while driving, according to a Pew Research Center report. Here is the percentage of smartphone owners who do so by age...

Aged 18 to 29: 80%
Aged 30 to 49: 72%
Aged 50 to 64: 52%
Aged 65-plus: 37%

Source: Pew Research Center, The Smartphone: An Essential Travel Guide

How Many $1 Bills?

Economists study many things and one of them is cash, tracing its flow into and out of your wallet. They collect information about how we use cash through the Diary of Consumer Payment Choice, in which a representative sample of the public records its purchases for three days. The survey collects information on how much cash people have at the beginning of each day (including cash denominations) and how they pay for purchases throughout the day. Here are a few of the findings from the 2012 survey...

Percentage of consumers...
With cash at the beginning of the day: 81%
With a $1 bill at the beginning of the day: 64%
Who made a cash transaction during the day: 50%

At the start of the day, consumers had a median of two $1 bills. That's not some random number. The Fed analysis finds that we actively manage our $1 bills. We don't want too many, but we also don't want to be without. The sweet spot—the target number of $1 bills we want in our wallet—is between two and three.

Source: Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, U.S. Consumer Holdings and Use of $1 Bills

Unemployed in the Past 10 Years

More than one-third of Americans (37 percent) have been unemployed for as long as a month at some point in the past 10 years, according to results from the 2014 General Social Survey. These are the percentages by generation...

Unemployed for as long as a month in past 10 years
Millennials: 55%
Gen Xers: 38%
Boomers: 30%

Note: In 2014, Millennials were 20 to 37, Gen Xers were 38 to 49, Boomers were 50 to 68.
Source: Demo Memo analysis of the 2014 General Social Survey

How Many Children?

Percent distribution of women aged 45 to 50 (the age at which women have completed their childbearing) by number of children ever born...

17% have had no children
19% have had one child
34% have had two children
19% have had three children
  8% have had four children
  4% have had five or more children

Source: Census Bureau, Fertility of Women in the United States: 2014

Teens and Smartphones

Nearly three out of four teenagers has a smartphone, according to a Pew Research Center report. Overall, 73 percent of 13-to-17-year-olds has a smartphone, and this figure does not vary much by demographic characteristic...

Teen smartphone ownership by age
Aged 13 to 14: 68%
Aged 15 to 17: 76%

Teen smartphone ownership by race and Hispanic origin
Black: 85%
Hispanic: 71%
Non-Hispanic White: 71%

Eighty-seven percent of teenagers have access to a desktop or laptop computer, 81 percent to a gaming console, and 58 percent to a tablet computer.

Source: Pew Research Center, Teens, Social Media & Technology Overview 2015

Where Americans Shop for Food

When Americans shop for food, they don't head to the nearest grocery store, according to the USDA's Economic Research Service. On average, the nearest grocery store is 2.14 miles from their home, but they travel 3.79 miles to get to the grocery store they use most often.

Nearly 9 out of 10 households (88 percent) travel to their primary grocery store in their own vehicle, and 7 percent use someone else's car. Six percent of grocery shoppers get to their primary store by walking or using public transportation.

Food shoppers are split between super centers (such as Walmart) and supermarkets as their primary grocery store. Forty-four percent use super centers, 45 percent use supermarkets, and the remainder use other types of stores.

Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Where Do Americans Usually Shop for Food and How Do They Travel to Get There? Initial Findings from the National Household Food Acquisition and Purchase Survey

Financial Satisfaction Is No Guarantee

If you feel like your finances are in good shape, you might be in danger. That's because, more often than not, feelings don't reflect reality. According to a study by the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College, "financial satisfaction is a poor indicator of financial well-being and can actually impede the achievement of financial well-being."

In the study, the researchers compared survey respondents' self-reported financial satisfaction with their actual long-term financial well-being (defined as having adequate medical and life insurance, saving for college and retirement, and paying off student loans and mortgages). They found a disconnect between feelings and reality. The feeling of financial satisfaction comes from day-to-day money matters (such as being employed, able to pay bills, not feeling burdened by debt, and having access to emergency cash) rather than long-term financial health. "Given this intensely present-minded focus of subjective assessments, satisfaction is a poor measure of financial well-being," the researchers concluded.

What can be done to eliminate this blind spot and improve the average American's financial security? The researchers suggest "greater use of defaults or mandates, or the transfer of responsibility from households to governments or employers, to reduce the nation's significantly increased reliance on individual household decision-making for basic financial well-being."

Source: Center for Retirement Research at Boston College, What Do Subjective Assessments of Financial Well-Being Reflect?

Americans Are Traveling Less

Americans are traveling less than they did before the Great Recession, according to data collected by the Consumer Expenditure Survey. The number of domestic trips taken by American households fell 14 percent between 2006 and 2013, from 230 million to 198 million. The number of international trips fell 25 percent during those years, from 17 million to 13 million. Neither domestic nor international travel show recovery from the Great Recession.

In an analysis of the CES travel data, BLS economist Geoffrey D. Paulin finds a surprise. Although the number of trips has declined, the length of trips has increased a bit. On domestic trips in 2013, households spent an average of 4.1 nights away from home—up from 3.8 nights in 2006. On international trips in 2013, households spent 12.6 nights away, up from 10.5 in 2006.

Households spent an average of $583 on each domestic trip in 2013—about 4 percent more than the $568 spent in 2006, after adjusting for inflation. Not surprisingly, households spent more on international travel—an average of $3,273 per trip in 2013. This is 16 percent more than the $2,830 spent in 2006.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Monthly Labor Review, Travel Expenditures, 2005-2013: Domestic and International Patterns in Recession and Recovery

Differences in Attitudes by Region

On many hot-button issues, the attitudes of non-Hispanic Whites in the South differ from the attitudes of non-Hispanic Whites in the Northeast, Midwest, and West...

Gay Marriage: Only 47% of non-Hispanic Whites in the South think same-sex couples should have the right to marry (56% Midwest, 70% West, 74% Northeast).

Legalizing Marijuana: Only 49% of non-Hispanic Whites in the South favor the legalization of marijuana (58% Midwest, 63% Northeast, 67% West).

Belief in Evolution: Only 40% of non-Hispanic Whites in the South believe in evolution (57% Midwest, 59% West, 74% Northeast).

Religious Fervor: 54% of non-Hispanic Whites in the South say they have been "born again" (32% Midwest, 31% West, 14% Northeast).

Republican Party: 51% of non-Hispanic Whites in the South identify themselves as Republican (44% Midwest, 37% West, 33% Northeast).

Source: 2014 General Social Survey analysis by Demo Memo

Who Looks Forward to Getting the Mail?

Only 41 percent of Americans look forward to getting their (snail) mail each day, according to a Gallup poll. Older people enjoy it more than younger ones...

Percent who look forward to getting the mail
Under age 50: 36%
Aged 50 to 64: 41%
Aged 65-plus: 56%

Source: Gallup, Four in 10 Americans Look Forward to Checking Mail

Smartphone Ownership in 2015

With 64 percent of Americans owning a smartphone in 2015 (up from 35 percent in 2011), this tool of the Internet age is owned by the majority of adults in all but the oldest age group and by more Blacks and Hispanics than non-Hispanic Whites...

Smartphone ownership by age
Aged 18 to 29: 85%
Aged 30 to 49: 79%
Aged 50 to 64: 54%
Aged 65-plus: 27%

Smartphone ownership by race and Hispanic origin
Hispanics: 71%
Non-Hispanic Blacks: 70%
Non-Hispanic Whites: 61%

Source: Pew Research Center, U.S. Smartphone Use in 2015

Average Number of Jobs

The average middle-aged American has held 11.7 different jobs by age 48, according to the latest data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979.

The NLSY79 has been interviewing a nationally representative panel of respondents every few years for decades, since they were aged 14 to 22 (born between 1957 and 1964). The survey collects data on the panel's labor market experiences. In the latest iteration, respondents were aged 47 to 56, and they had held this many jobs between the ages of...

Number of jobs held
Ages 18 to 24: 5.5
Ages 25 to 29: 3.0
Ages 35 to 39: 2.1
Ages 40 to 48: 2.4

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Number of Jobs Held, Labor Market Activity, and Earnings Growth among the Youngest Baby Boomers: Results from a Longitudinal Survey Summary

Households with Pets in Austin, Baltimore, Boston...

The 2013 American Housing Survey includes a set of questions about household emergency preparedness. Some of the questions are about pets—whether households have pets and whether they would need help evacuating or sheltering pets during an emergency. Overall, 48 percent of households have pets, and a substantial 27 percent of pet-owning households say they would need help evacuating or sheltering their pets in case of an emergency.

The pet questions and hundreds of others—ranging from housing tenure to type of structure and year built, property taxes and insurance costs, underwater homeowners, sidewalks or bike lanes in neighborhood, and relationship with neighbors—are available for the nation as a whole and for 25 metropolitan areas. The metros included in the 2013 survey are: Austin, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Hartford, Houston, Jacksonville, Las Vegas, Louisville, Miami, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Nashville, New York City, Northern New Jersey, Oklahoma City, Orlando, Philadelphia, Richmond, Rochester, San Antonio, Seattle, Tampa-St. Petersburg, Tucson, and Washington, DC.

Source: Census Bureau, Metropolitan Summary Tables - AHS 2013

What's Behind the Gains for Big-City Counties?

The nation's most urban counties grew by a substantial 4.2 percent between 2010 and 2014, faster than any other type, according to a Demo Memo analysis of the Census Bureau's 2014 county population estimates by Rural-Urban Continuum. Counties in smaller metros grew at a slower rate, and those in rural areas lost population. Every component of population change is driving the growth of the most urban counties...

Natural increase was greater in big-city counties. Between 2010 and 2014, the rate of natural increase (defined as births minus deaths) was 2.4 percent in counties ranking 1 on the Rural-Urban Continuum (in metro areas with populations of 1 million or more). This was a higher rate of natural increase than any other type of county on the Continuum. Counties ranking an 8 or 9 on the Continuum (the most rural) had a negative rate of natural increase between 2010 and 2014—deaths outnumbered births in those areas.

International migration was greater in big-city counties. Between 2010 and 2014, the rate of net international migration was 1.8 percent in counties ranking 1 on the Rural-Urban Continuum. While net international migration was positive in every type of county, the rate fell with declining urbanity to a low of just  0.1 to 0.2 percent for counties ranking an 8 or 9.

Domestic migration was greater in big-city counties. Between 2010 and 2014, the rate of domestic migration was positive only for the most urban counties—those ranking a 1, 2, or 3 on the Rural-Urban Continuum. Less urban counties lost more migrants than they gained.

Household Income Stable in February 2015

Median household income was $54,510 in February 2015, according to Sentier Research. Although this was $60 greater than the January median, the difference was not statistically significant after adjusting for inflation. The February 2015 median was 2.7 percent higher than the February 2014 median and 6.4 percent above the $51,237 median of August 2011—the low point in Sentier's household income series. 

"Even though there was not a statistically significant increase in median income between January and February," says Sentier's Gordon Green, "there has been a general upward trend in median income since the low point reached in August 2011." Sentier's median household income estimates are derived from the Census Bureau's monthly Current Population Survey. 

Median household income in February 2015 was 0.9 percent below the median of June 2009, the end of the Great Recession. It was 2.7 percent below the median of December 2007, the start of the Great Recession. It was 3.8 percent below the median of January 2000. The Household Income Index for February 2015 stood at 96.2 (January 2000 = 100.0).

Source: Sentier Research, Household Income Trends: February 2015

Spending on Entertainment Rises with Education

The average household spent $2,482 on entertainment in 2013, according to the Consumer Expenditure Survey. Spending varies greatly by educational attainment. Here is average annual spending on entertainment by the highest level of education of any household member...

Average household spending on entertainment in 2013
$1,065, less than high school
$1,530, high school graduate
$1,965, some college
$2,636, associate's degree
$3,089, bachelor's degree
$4,158, graduate or professional degree

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Movies, Music, and Sports: U.S. Entertainment Spending, 2008-2013

Big-City Counties Grew the Most

The nation's most urban counties continue to attract Americans by the millions, according to the Census Bureau's 2014 county population estimates. A Demo Memo analysis of 2010-to-2014 county population trends along the Rural-Urban Continuum documents strong city growth (the bigger, the better) and unrelenting rural decline.

The Rural-Urban Continuum is the federal government's way of classifying counties by their degree of urbanity. The continuum is a scale ranging from 1 (the most urban counties, in metropolitan areas of 1 million or more) to 9 (the most rural counties, lacking any settlements of 2,500 or more people and not adjacent to a metropolitan area). If you sort the nation's 3,142 counties by their rank on the continuum, then measure population change between 2010 and 2014 for each rank, this is the result...

County population change 2010-2014 by Rural-Urban Continuum Rank
1. 4.2% for rank 1 counties, in metros with 1 million or more people
2. 3.0% for rank 2 counties, in metros of 250,000 to 1 million people
3. 2.1% for rank 3 counties, in metros with less than 250,000 people
4. 0.1% for rank 4 counties, nonmetro adjacent to metro with urban pop of 20,000+
5. 1.4% for rank 5 counties, nonmetro not adjacent to metro with urban pop of 20,000+
6. -0.7% for rank 6 counties, nonmetro adjacent to metro with urban pop of 2,500-19,999
7. -0.5% for rank 7 counties, nonmetro not adjacent to metro with urban pop of 2,500-19,999
8. -1.4% for rank 8 counties, nonmetro adjacent to metro with urban pop less than 2,500
9. -0.9% for rank 9 counties, nonmetro not adjacent to metro, urban pop less than 2,500

The most urban counties (a 1 on the scale) grew the fastest between 2010 and 2014. The most rural counties (8 and 9 on the scale) experienced the biggest declines.

Source: USDA, Economic Research Service, Rural-Urban Continuum Codes and Census Bureau, Population Estimates, County Totals: Vintage 2014

Investigating the Hispanic Paradox

Hispanics live longer than non-Hispanic Whites or Blacks, despite the fact that they are less educated and have lower incomes. This phenomenon is called the Hispanic Paradox. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, Hispanic life expectancy at birth was 81.4 years in 2011 versus 78.8 years for non-Hispanic Whites and 75.3 years for Blacks.

An investigation into the Hispanic Paradox reveals an even bigger mystery. By comparing the life expectancy of foreign-born and U.S.-born Hispanics, a study in Demography shows foreign-born Hispanics to have the advantage while U.S.-born Hispanics have about the same life expectancy as Whites. "Why is this foreign-born Hispanic mortality advantage erased for U.S.-born Hispanics?" ask the researchers. "Negative acculturation may deteriorate the positive health behaviors among Hispanic immigrants over time and across generations," they conclude.

Source: Demography, "Hispanic Older Adult Mortality in the United States: New Estimates and an Assessment of Factors Shaping the Hispanic Paradox" ($39.95)

Stress is the Norm for New Mothers

In the year before they give birth, 71 percent of new mothers experience what the CDC calls a "stressful life event." The government defines 13 types of stressful life events and categorizes them into four types: financial (moved to a new address, lost job, partner lost job, unable to pay bills); emotional (family member ill and hospitalized, someone close died); partner-associated (separation/divorce, argue more than usual with partner/husband, husband/partner said he did not want pregnancy); and traumatic (homeless, involved in physical fight, partner went to jail, someone close had a problem with drinking/drugs).

The average new mother experiences 1.8 stressful life events in the year before her infants' birth. The 51 percent majority experiences a financial stressor, 30 percent an emotional stressor, 29 percent a partner-associated stressor, and 18 percent a traumatic stressor. Most women are vulnerable to stressful life events, but some are more vulnerable than others. Fully 80 percent of new mothers under age 25, for example, experienced one or more stressors compared with a smaller but still substantial 63 percent of new mothers aged 30 or older. Among the least educated, 76 percent experienced a stressor. Among the best-educated, the figure was 60 percent.

Source: CDC, Stressful Life Events Experienced by Women in the Year Before Their Infants' Births—United States, 2000-2010

Millions Want to Move

A substantial 9.6 percent of American households say they want to move, according to a Census Bureau study of residential mobility. But few actually follow through on that desire. With geographic mobility at a record low, the timing could not be better for an analysis of who wants to move and what they do about it.

Among the 11 million householders who said they wanted to move in 2010, only 18 percent actually moved in the following 12 months. And as fate would have it, millions of householders who did not express a desire to move in 2010 ended up moving, although at a lower rate (10 percent). Using data from the Survey of Income and Program Participation, the Census Bureau analyzed the characteristics of those who wanted to move in 2010 and those who did move in the following 12 months. Among the many characteristics examined in the report, age was one of the most important. Americans under age 35 are most likely to want to move (14.6 percent wanted to move in 2010), and they are also most likely to actually move (27.8 percent moved between 2010 and 2011). Many of the households that ended up moving, however, were not the ones who wanted to move, and many of those who wanted to move were in the same residence a year later. 

Many people change their minds about wanting to move. The 56 percent majority of those who said they wanted to move in 2010 but stayed put no longer expressed a desire to move when re-interviewed in 2011. "Desiring to move because of residential dissatisfaction appeared to be dynamic," explains the Census Bureau's Peter J. Mateyka, "with many respondents' reports of desiring to move changing one year later, despite living in the same residence."

Source: Census Bureau, Desire to Move and Residential Mobility: 2010-2011

Crossing the "Freedom Threshold"

When do people cross the "Freedom Threshold," able to choose where they want to live free from the constraints of work and family? According to a Merrill Lynch survey, they cross that threshold at age 61. The survey, conducted in partnership with Age Wave, examines the housing choices of retirees. Among the questions included in the survey, respondents were asked whether they agreed with the following two statements:

• Where I live is determined by life responsibilities, such as family or work obligations.
• At this point in my life, I am free to choose where I most want to live.

The percentage who feel free to choose where they want to live climbs above the 50 percent "Freedom Threshold" at age 61. Most people aged 61 or older feel free. Most younger do not. 

Source: Merrill Lynch, Home in Retirement: More Freedom, New Choices

Geographic Mobility, 2013-14

Many will be disappointed with the latest report on the nation's geographic mobility. Fewer Americans moved between 2013 and 2014 than in the previous year, and the mobility rate fell to a record low. Although the Census Bureau calls the trend in mobility "stable," the numbers are not good news for housing and other industries awaiting the return of the mobile American.

Only 11.5 percent of people aged 1 or older moved from one house to another between March 2013 and March 2014—an all-time low. The number who moved fell by 237,000 between 2012-13 and 2013-14. Here is the trend in the mobility rate since 2006-07, before the start of the Great Recession…

Geographic mobility rate
2013-14: 11.5%
2012-13: 11.7%
2011-12: 12.0%
2010-11: 11.6%
2009-10: 12.5%
2008-09: 12.5%
2007-08: 11.9%
2006-07: 13.2%

The mobility rate fell slightly for both homeowners and renters. Among homeowners, only 5.0 percent moved between 2013 and 2014. While this rate is above the record low of 4.7 percent recorded in the years 2010-11 and 2011-12, it remains far below the 7 to 9 percent that was typical in the the years prior to the Great Recession. Renters account for the 71 percent majority of movers. Among renters, 24.5 percent moved between 2013 and 2014, an all-time low. Before the Great Recession, the renter mobility rate typically exceeded 30 percent.

Source: Census Bureau, Geographic Mobility: 2013 to 2014

Majority of Public Supports Legalization of Marijuana

The majority of Americans now support the legalization of marijuana, according to results from the 2014 General Social Survey. Fully 55.4 percent of people aged 18 or older favor legalizing marijuana, up from 46.9 percent in 2012 and just 32.9 percent in 2000. Nearly every demographic segment favors legalization, with Millennials most supportive...

Percent in favor of legalizing marijuana by generation
Millennials (20-37): 65%
Gen Xers (38-49): 52%
Boomers (50-68): 57%
Older Americans: 36%

Source: 2014 General Social Survey, Computer-assisted Survey Methods Program of the University of California, Berkeley

Big Decline in Consumption of Fresh Potatoes

Over the decades, Americans have been eating fewer fresh potatoes. Behind the decline in fresh potato consumption is the greater availability of processed potatoes (especially frozen), according to the USDA, as well as the growing popularity of low-carb diets.

Pounds of fresh potatoes consumed per capita
2014: 26.8
2010: 27.8
2000: 35.5
1990: 35.2
1980: 38.5
1970: 46.6

Source: USDA, Economic Research Service, Americans Are Eating Fewer Potatoes and Less Cabbage than Previous Generations

Educational Attainment of the Labor Force in 2014

Among the nation's 135 million workers aged 25 or older in the civilian labor force, 50 million had a bachelor's degree or more education—37 percent of the total. By race and Hispanic origin, this is the percentage of workers with a bachelor's degree...

60% of Asians
42% of non-Hispanic Whites
27% of Blacks
19% of Hispanics

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Labor Force Statistics from the Current Population Survey

Attitudes toward Gay Marriage, 2004 to 2014

When asked whether they agree or disagree with the statement, "Homosexual couples should have the right to marry one another," the 57 percent majority of Americans agree. The change in attitudes toward gay marriage has been swift...

Percent in favor of gay marriage
2014: 56.7%
2012: 48.9%
2010: 46.5%
2008: 39.2%
2006: 35.4%
2004: 30.8%

Among Millennials (aged 20 to 37 in 2014), the 70 percent majority supports gay marriage. The figure is 55 percent among Gen Xers (aged 38 to 49) and 51 percent among Boomers (aged 50 to 68). Among the oldest Americans (aged 69 or older), only 39 percent agree.

Source: General Social Survey, 2004 to 2014

Homeownership Rate of Householders Aged 30 to 34 by Region: 2004 to 2014

The homeownership rate of householders aged 30 to 34 fell by more than 10 percentage points between 2004 (the year the nation's homeownership rate peaked) and 2014. Historically, 30-to-34-year-olds had been the nation's first-time homebuyers, the age group in which the homeownership rate climbed above 50 percent. But between 2004 and 2014 the homeownership rate of the age group fell from well above 50 percent (57.4) to well below (47.1). No longer is 30-to-34 the age of first-time home buying, except in the Midwest...

Homeownership rate of householders aged 30 to 34
Northeast
2014: 41.8%
2004: 51.9%
Change: -10.1 percentage points

Midwest
2014: 57.6%
2004: 65.0%
Change: -7.4 percentage points

South
2014: 47.7%
2004: 58.8%
Change: -11.1 percentage points

West
2014: 39.9%
2004: 52.1%
Change: -12.2 percentage points

Source: Census Bureau, Housing Vacancies and Homeownership

Married Three or More Times

Among Americans aged 15 or older, 52.3 percent have married only once, 13.5 percent have married twice, and 3.6 percent have married three or more times. Those most likely to have married three or more times are the oldest members of the baby-boom generation. Among people in their sixties, fully 9.1 percent of men and 7.6 percent of women have married at least three times.

Source: Census Bureau, Remarriage in the United States

63% of Americans Live in a City

Nearly two out of three Americans (63 percent) live in a city, according to the Census Bureau. Cities are defined by their legal corporate limits. They differ from metropolitan areas, which are defined by the Office of Management and Budget and consist of counties with urban populations of 50,000 or more. The nation has more cities (19,508) than metro areas (381).

Between 2010 and 2013, the population of the nation's cities grew 3.1 percent—greater than the 2.4 percent growth rate for the nation as a whole. City growth occurs not just because of population gains, however, but also because of annexation. Boundary changes between 2010 and 2013, for example, added nearly 32,000 people to the city of Kirkland, Washington. City population also grows when new cities are created. Sixteen new cities were incorporated between 2010 and 2013, including James Island, South Carolina, and Jurupa Valley, California.

The most populous city in the United States is New York, with 8.4 million people in the city's 303 square miles of land. All those people in such a small geographic area make New York the most densely populated city in the United States, with 27,781 people per square mile. Close to the other extreme is Sitka, Alaska, which has more land area than any other city—2,870 square miles. Because only 9,020 people live there, however, Sitka's density is just 3.1 people per square mile. 

Source: Census Bureau, Population Trends in Incorporated Places: 2000 to 2013

The Demographics of Long-Haul Truckers

Among the 2.6 million Americans employed as truck drivers, many are long-haul truckers—meaning they drive heavy or tractor-trailer trucks on interstate routes. The CDC surveyed the health of long-haul truck drivers in 2010, with the following results...

• Long-haul truckers are aged 48, on average, and have been on the job 16 years.
• Most are men (93.5%) and White (73.5%). 
• Long-haul truck drivers worked an average of 60.4 hours in the past week, with 46.2 hours behind the wheel and the remainder spent loading and unloading, completing paperwork, and performing truck maintenance.
• In the past year, they drove an average of 107,700 miles.
• In the past month, the 63% majority spent six or fewer nights at home.

Source: CDC, Vital Signs: Seat Belt Use among Long-Haul Truck Drivers—United States, 2010

Children with Stay-at-Home Moms

Among the nation's children under age 15, only 20 percent live the Leave it to Beaver lifestyle—two parents, married, and a mother who does not work because she is caring for the family.

Source: Census Bureau, Families and Living Arrangements: 2014, Children

Household Income Stable in January 2015

Median household income was stable at $54,332 in January 2015, according to Sentier Research. Although this was $321 greater than the December 2014 median, the difference was not statistically significant after adjusting for inflation. The January 2015 median was 3.4 percent higher than the January 2014 median and 6.3 percent above the $51,126 median of August 2011—the low point in Sentier's household income series. 

"Even though there was not a statistically significant increase in median income between December and January," says Sentier's Gordon Green, "there has been a general upward trend in median income since the low point reached in August 2011." Sentier's median household income estimates are derived from the Census Bureau's monthly Current Population Survey. 

Median household income in January 2015 was 1.0 percent below the median of June 2009, the end of the Great Recession. It was 2.8 percent below the median of December 2007, the start of the Great Recession. It was 3.9 percent below the median of January 2000. The Household Income Index for January 2015 stood at 96.1 (January 2000 = 100.0).

Source: Sentier Research, Household Income Trends: January 2015

One in Four Americans Will Be 65-Plus

In 2029, the youngest members of the baby-boom generation (born from 1946 through 1964) will turn 65. With boomers inflating the older age groups, the elderly share of the American population will climb to 25 percent by 2050—three times greater than the 8 percent of 1950...

Percentage of U.S. population aged 65 or older
2050: 24.9%
2014: 13.2%
1950:   8.1%

Source: Demo Memo analysis and Census Bureau, Projections of the Size and Composition of the U.S. Population: 2014 to 2060

Homeownership by State, 2004 to 2014

The U.S. homeownership rate peaked in 2004 at 69.0 percent. Ten years later, the homeownership rate had fallen to 64.5 percent—a decline of 4.5 percentage points. In some states, the decline was greater...

States with the largest percentage point decline in homeownership rate, 2004-14
Nevada: -9.7
Georgia: -8.0
Florida: -7.3
Illinois: -6.3
Oregon: -6.2

Only three states saw their homeownership rate rise between 2004 and 2014: Rhode Island (+0.3), South Dakota (+0.7), and Vermont (+1.5).

Source: Census Bureau, Housing Vacancies and Homeownership

The Single Years

Percentage of men and women aged 25 to 29 who have never married...

Men aged 25 to 29
2014: 68%
2000: 52%
1980: 33%
1960: 21%

Women aged 25 to 29
2014: 54%
2000: 39%
1980: 21%
1960: 11%

Source: Bureau of the Census, Families and Living Arrangements—Historical Tables

Problems Paying Medical Bills

The percentage of Americans under age 65 who were in families having problems paying medical bills fell substantially between 2011 and the first half of 2014. Behind the decline is recovery from the Great Recession and the introduction of the Affordable Care Act, which boosted health insurance coverage. 

Number (and percent) of people in families having trouble paying medical bills
2014: 47.7 million (17.8%)
2013: 51.8 million (19.4%)
2012: 54.3 million (20.4%)
2011: 56.5 million (21.3%)

Source: National Center for Health Statistics, National Health Interview Survey, Problems Paying Medical Bills among Persons Under Age 65: Early Release of Estimates from the National Health Interview Survey, 2011-June 2014

The Divorce Experience

Percent of Americans who say the following statements describe them...

• My parents divorced when I was a child: 20%
• My parents divorced when I was an adult: 4%
• I have been divorced once: 17%
• I have been divorced more than once: 7%
• I am considering divorce: 5%

Source: Harris Interactive, Americans Aren't as OK with Divorce as They Think They Are

Who Has A New Job?

Among all wage and salary workers aged 20 or older, a substantial 19.7 percent have had their current job for one year or less. Here are the percentages by age...

Worked for current employer for 12 months or less
Aged 20 to 24: 49.2%
Aged 25 to 34: 26.6%
Aged 35 to 44: 16.7%
Aged 45 to 54: 12.0%
Aged 55 to 64:   8.9%
Aged 65-plus:    7.8%

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employee Tenure

Slow Payback of Student Loans

In the fourth quarter of 2014, the outstanding balance on student loans in the United States reached a mind boggling $1.2 trillion, up from $346 billion ten years ago. The number of borrowers with outstanding loans grew 92 percent during those years to 43 million.

One reason for the enormous growth in student loans is the disturbingly slow rate at which the loans are being paid back, according to an analysis by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Looking at Equifax data, the researchers find only 37 percent of borrowers making regular payments on schedule. The others are either delinquent, in deferral, or still in school.

The researchers analyzed how much debt borrowers had in the year they left school and how much debt remained at the end of 2014. The 2010 cohort, for example, had $78 billion in debt upon leaving school and more than four years later still owes 91 percent of that amount. The 2005 cohort still owes 62 percent of its student loan balance from nearly 10 years ago.

The housing market is haunted by these student loans, according to the Fed analysis. "We don't fully understand how the burden of large amounts of debt on households' balance sheets for long periods of time affects student borrowers' behavior," conclude the researchers, "but our research so far suggests that growing student debt has contributed to the recent decline in the homeownership rate and to the sharp increase in parental co-residence among millennials."

Source: Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Liberty Street Economics, Payback Time? Measuring Progress on Student Debt Repayment

Homeownership: A Decade of Decline

The nation's homeownership rate peaked in 2004 at 69.0 percent. Since then, the overall rate has fallen by 4.5 percentage points to 64.5 percent in 2014. Among householders in their thirties, the rate fell by more than 10 percentage points during those years...

Homeownership rate in 2014 (and percentage point decline since 2004)
Under 25: 21.7% (-3.5)
25 to 29:   32.7% (-7.5)
30 to 34:   47.1% (-10.3)
35 to 39:   56.0% (-10.2)
40 to 44:   63.2% (-8.7)
45 to 54:   70.7% (-6.5)
55 to 64:   76.3% (-5.4)
65-plus:    79.9 (-1.2)

Source: Census Bureau, Housing Vacancies and Homeownership

How Much We Love Pets: 22

Pets rank a lofty 22 in the items on which the average household spends the most. The average American household spends more on pets than it does on...

• Alcoholic beverages
• Internet service
• Prescription drugs
• Day care and baby sitting
• Gifts of cash to family members 

Source: Demo Memo analysis of the Consumer Expenditure Survey

Why Renters Move

Among the 13 million renter-occupied housing units in which householders had moved in the past year, just over half cited one of these five factors as the main reason for leaving their previous residence...

1. To establish own household (11.7%)
2. New job or job transfer (11.6%)
3. To be closer to work (11.6%)
4. Needed larger house or apartment (8.5%)
5. Wanted better home (6.6%)

Source: Census Bureau, 2013 American Housing Survey

Technology May Immiserate Humanity

"Will smart machines, which are rapidly replacing workers in a wide range of jobs, produce economic misery or prosperity?"

That's the question posed in Robots Are Us: Some Economics of Human Replacement, a National Bureau of Economic Research working paper. The authors create a model to see how technological progress will impact the human economy. The model's outcome is, to use the authors' term, "disturbing."

The results of the model show that the growing legacy of software code may very well put the human economy out of business. "As the stock of legacy code grows," say the researchers, "the demand for new code and, thus for high-tech workers, falls." Former high-tech workers will seek jobs in low-tech occupations, driving those wages down. Smart machines are now on track to immiserate humanity, and open-source technology is likely to make matters worse. The researchers recommend generation-specific redistribution policies that could soften the blow.

Source: National Bureau of Economic Research, Robots Are Us: Some Economics of Human Replacement, NBER Working Paper 20941 ($5)

Fewer Minimum Wage Workers

Between 2010 and 2014, the number of minimum wage workers in the United States fell by 31 percent—a decline of more than 1 million.

Number (and percent) of wage and salary workers paid at or below minimum wage
2014: 2,992,000 (2.9%)
2010: 4,360,000 (6.0%)

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Labor Force Statistics from the Current Population Survey

Boomer Men Not Delaying Retirement

Between 2000 and 2010, the labor force participation rate of men aged 65 to 69 climbed by more than 6 percentage points—from 30.3 to 36.5 percent. Many thought the upward trend was here to stay as the baby-boom generation sought to boost its retirement income. Many were wrong. As boomer men filled the 65-to-69 age group over the past four years, the rise in labor force participation came to a halt, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In fact, the labor force participation rate of men aged 65 to 69 fell slightly between 2010 and 2014...

Labor force participation rate of men aged 65 to 69
2014: 36.1
2010: 36.5
2000: 30.3

Interestingly, a Gallup survey of today's 65-to-68-year olds found them no more likely to work than the four-year cohort immediately preceding them. Those Gallup results are now confirmed.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Labor Force Statistics from the Current Population Survey

Who Has a Living Will?

Only 28 percent of Americans have a living will, defined as "directives or documented instructions and/or wishes and preferences regarding the type of care they would like to receive or not receive at the end stage of their life." Older Americans are much more likely to have a living will than younger Americans...

Percent with a living will
Millennials: 10%
Gen Xers: 23%
Boomers: 36%
Matures: 65%

Source: Harris Interactive, Most Americans Agree with Right-to-Die Movement

Fish Oil and Yoga Are Making Gains

About one-third of Americans aged 18 or older used "complementary" (or alternative) medicine in 2012. Complementary medicine is a grab bag of tools and techniques for improving and maintaining health, including fish oil supplements, yoga, chiropractic manipulation, massage, and homeopathic treatments. The government has been tracking trends in the use of complementary medicine for a decade now, with surveys fielded in 2002, 2007, and 2012. Here are some of the more interesting findings from the 2012 survey...

• Dietary supplements are the most popular complementary medicine, used by 41 million adults in 2012 (18 percent of the population). Fish oil ranks number one among supplements, with 19 million users in the past 30 days. Eight percent of adults take fish oil supplements, up from 5 percent in 2007.
• Yoga is making steady gains, with the percentage practicing yoga nearly doubling from 5.1 percent in 2002 to 9.5 percent in 2012. Every age group boosted its participation in yoga during those years. People aged 18 to 44 are most likely to practice yoga, with 11.2 percent doing so in 2012. The figures are 7.2 percent among 45-to-64-year-olds and 3.3 percent among people aged 65 or older.

Source: National Center of Health Statistics, National Health Interview Survey, Trends in the Use of Complementary Health Approaches among Adults: United States, 2002-2012

Religious Affiliation of College Freshmen

Top 10 responses of college freshmen when asked their current religious preference:

27.5%: none
25.3%: Roman Catholic
 7.7%: Baptist
 6.0%: Church of Christ
 3.0%: Methodist
 2.8%: Jewish
 2.6%: Lutheran
 2.4%: Presbyterian
 1.7%: Muslim
 1.6%: Buddhist

Source: Higher Education Research Institute, The American Freshman: National Norms Fall 2014

College Fantasy vs. Reality

85% of college freshmen believe they will complete their bachelor's degree in four years, according to The American Freshman: National Norms Fall 2014.

38% of college freshmen complete their bachelor's degree in four years, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

How Many Share Your Birthday?

Economist Wolfgang Fengler had some fun on his birthday. He calculated the number of people worldwide who were celebrating the same exact birthday—day and year. Then he made the same calculation for other birthdays, and his results reveal not only the world's growing population but also shifting patterns of global growth.

For babies celebrating their first birthday, 368,000 others worldwide are celebrating the same birthday. The largest share of these "birthday buddies," as Fengler calls them, are from India, China, and Nigeria. For people celebrating their 90th birthday, only 11,000 others worldwide are celebrating the same birthday. The largest share are from China, the United States, and Japan.

To see results for other ages, check out How Your Birthday Reveals Global Demographic Shifts, on the Brookings Institution's Future Development blog.

Arrested by Age 23

Among 23-year-old men, percent who have ever been arrested (excluding minor traffic violations), by race and Hispanic origin...

Black: 49%
Hispanic: 44%
White: 38%

Source: Demographic Patterns of Cumulative Arrest Prevalence by Ages 18 and 23, cited in the Urban Institute report Reducing Harms to Boys and Men of Color from Criminal Justice System Involvement

Children and Secondhand Smoke

Exposure to secondhand smoke fell steeply between 1999 and 2012, according to a CDC study of nicotine metabolite levels in blood. The percentage of nonsmokers aged 3 or older with detectable levels of nicotine in their blood fell from 52.5 percent in 1999-2000 to just 25.3 percent in 2011-2012.

Behind the decline is the elimination of smoking from most bars, restaurants, work sites, and public places. "The Surgeon General has concluded that eliminating smoking in indoor spaces fully protects nonsmokers from SHS [secondhand smoke] exposure," notes the CDC in its report. But many children are exposed to secondhand smoke at home, which explains why they have the highest levels of nicotine in their blood...

Percentage of nonsmokers with detectable levels of nicotine in their blood 
Aged 3 to 11: 41%
Aged 12 to 19: 34%
Aged 20 or older: 21%

Source: CDC, Disparities in Nonsmokers' Exposure to Secondhand Smoke—United States, 1999-2012

Emergency Cash: How Long Would It Last?

Most households have little money saved for emergencies, according to an analysis of the 2013 Survey of Consumer Finances by the Pew Charitable Trusts. Financial advisors recommend having three to six months of income in liquid savings (cash, checking, and savings accounts). By income quintile, here is how much liquid savings households have for emergencies...

Top quintile: 52 days
Fourth quintile: 30 days
Middle quintile: 21 days
Second quintile: 15 days
Bottom quintile: 9 days

Source: The Pew Charitable Trusts, The Precarious State of Family Balance Sheets

Number of Moves in Lifetime

The average American will move 11.7 times during his or her lifetime, according to a Census Bureau calculation made a few years ago. The estimate was based on annual mobility and mortality rates in 2007 and allowed for a maximum of one move per person per year.

Now FiveThirtyEight has updated that estimate. As of 2013, the average American will move 11.3 times in his or her life. Behind the slight decline is the drop in mobility rates caused by the collapse of the housing market and the subsequent Great Recession. The average 18-year-old in the United States has moved twice, says Mona Chalabi of FiveThirtyEight's DataLab, and the average 30-year-old has moved six times.

Source: FiveThirtyEight, How Many Times Does the Average Person Move?

Do Parents Trump Public Health?

"Parents should be able to decide not to vaccinate their children." A substantial 30 percent of the public agrees with that statement, according to a Pew survey. Younger adults—the ones now making the vaccination decisions— are most likely to favor parental choice over public health.

"Parents should be able to decide not to vaccinate their children" (percent agreeing)
Under age 50: 37%
Aged 50-plus: 22%

Source: Pew Research Center, Public and Scientists' Views on Science and Society

Median Age at First Marriage Hits New High

The median age at first marriage set another record in 2014, climbing to 29.3 years for men and 27.0 years for women. Here is the trend for men and women since median age at first marriage bottomed out in 1956...

Men's median age at first marriage
2014: 29.3
2010: 28.2
2000: 26.8
1990: 26.1
1980: 24.7
1970: 23.2
1960: 22.8
1956: 22.5

Women's median age at first marriage
2014: 27.0
2010: 26.1
2000: 25.1
1990: 23.9
1980: 22.0
1970: 20.8
1960: 20.3
1956: 20.1

Source: Census Bureau, Families and Living Arrangements, Marital Status

First-Time Homebuyer Watch: 4th Quarter 2014

Homeownership rate of householders aged 30 to 34, fourth quarter 2014: 47.4%

The homeownership rate of households headed by people aged 30 to 34 was nearly a full percentage above the all-time low of 46.5 percent recorded in the second quarter of 2014. Still, the figure is well below the 50-percent threshold that once marked this age group as the nation's first-time homebuyers. Historically, homeownership became the norm in the 30-to-34 age group—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 number is 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 55.2 percent in the fourth quarter of 2014—a record low. Since peaking in the first quarter of 2007, the homeownership rate of 35-to-39-year-olds has fallen by more than 10 percentage points. 

Nationally, the homeownership rate slipped to 64.0 percent in the fourth quarter of 2014, down from 65.2 percent a year earlier.

Source: Census Bureau, Housing Vacancy Survey

Children in the Household by Generation, 2014

Overall, 28 percent of American households include children under age 18 and a larger 39 percent include children of any age. By generation, here are the numbers...

Households with children under age 18
Millennials: 46.8% 
Generation X: 55.7%
Baby Boomers: 11.5%
Older Americans: 1.1%

Households with children of any age
Millennials: 47.6% 
Generation X: 64.9%
Baby Boomers: 30.2%
Older Americans: 12.5%

Source: Demo Memo analysis of the Census Bureau's, America's Families and Living Arrangements: 2014

Household Income Rises in December 2014

Good news: Median household income climbed to $54,417 in December 2014, according to Sentier Research—$738 more than the November median, after adjusting for inflation. The statistically significant increase was due in part to the decline in consumer prices as the cost of gasoline fell. The December 2014 median was 3.3 percent higher than the December 2013 median and 5.7 percent above the $51,459 median of August 2011—the low point in Sentier's household income series. 

"Our time series charts clearly illustrate that although the economic recovery officially began in June 2009, the recovery in household income did not begin to emerge until after August 2011," explains Sentier's Gordon Green. Sentier's median household income estimates are derived from the Census Bureau's monthly Current Population Survey. 

Median household income in December 2014 was 1.5 percent below the median of June 2009, the end of the Great Recession. It was 3.2 percent below the median of December 2007, the start of the Great Recession. It was 4.4 percent below the median of January 2000. The Household Income Index for December 2014 stood at 95.6 (January 2000 = 100.0).

Source: Sentier Research, Household Income Trends: December 2014

Labor Force by Generation

Percent distribution of Americans aged 16 or older in the labor force by generation...

iGeneration: 2.8%
Millennials: 36.7%
Generation X: 25.6%
Baby Boomers: 31.4%
Older Americans: 3.4%

Note: Labor force as of 2013, when the iGeneration was 16-18; Millennials were 19-36; Generation X was 37-48; Boomers were 49-67; older Americans were 68-plus.
Source: New Strategist Publications, American Generations Series

Spending on Books Plunges

In 2013, the average household spent almost as much on digital book readers ($30.18) as it did on books ($32.53). Since 2000, average household spending on books has fallen 58 percent, after adjusting for inflation—almost as steep a decline as the 65 percent plunge in spending on newspaper and magazine subscriptions.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Expenditure Survey

Workers Feel More Insecure

Workers today feel more insecure about their jobs than their counterparts a generation ago, according to an analysis of data in the Monthly Labor Review by business school professor Charles N. Weaver. A comparison of worker attitudes in the 1970s (1977 and 1978) with attitudes in the 2010s (2010 and 2012) reveals a growing fear...

• In the 1970s, only 7.7 percent of workers were afraid they would lose their job. In the 2010s, the figure had climbed to 11.2 percent. 
• In the 1970s, the 59 percent majority of workers were confident in their ability to find a comparable job. In the 2010s, only 48 percent of workers had confidence.

The loss of confidence has been greater for some workers than others. Confidence has plunged the most for workers aged 30 to 49 (a 12.6 percentage point decline), men, (-12.8), high school graduates (-15.5), workers with some college but no degree (-23.1), and clerical workers (-23.9).

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Monthly Labor Review, Worker's Expectations about Losing and Replacing their Jobs: 35 Years of Change

How Much Is "Some College"?

Nearly 35 million Americans aged 25 or older have "some college" but no degree. The "some college" group, in fact, is the second largest in the United States. It is outnumbered only by the 55 million who have a high school diploma but no further education. But what does "some college" mean, exactly? The Census Bureau has the numbers...

Percent distribution of people with "some college" by years of college completed
Less than one: 16%
One year : 32%
Two years: 37%
Three years: 10%
Four-plus years: 4%

Source: Census Bureau, Educational Attainment in the United States: 2014

Lower Gas Prices and the Average Household

Gasoline is one of the largest household expenses. How large? According to the Consumer Expenditure Survey, the average household spent $2,549 on gasoline in 2013. Gasoline ranks a lofty 5th among items on which the average household spends the most (after deductions for Social Security, groceries, vehicle purchases, and rent/mortgage interest).

That was then, when gasoline cost $3.49/gallon. Now, with gas prices at about $2.00/gallon, the average household is projected to spend just $1,461 on gasoline this year—a savings of more than $1,000. Gasoline will fall from 5th to 8th place in the ranking of items on which the average household spends the most—below restaurant meals, health insurance, and property taxes. No wonder Americans' Economic Confidence Index is at a record high and in positive territory for the first time since Gallup started daily tracking of this indicator in 2008.

Financial Status of Baby Boomers

Among people aged 50 to 64, fewer than one in four feels financially secure. These are the responses of a representative sample of the age group to the question, "What is your household's overall financial situation?"

23% say they are financial secure
27% say they have enough money to get by
22% say they're doing okay, but wish they had saved more
22% say they are struggling to make things work out financially
7% say they are in poor financial shape

Source: AARP, Americans Aged 50+ and Stress: An AARP Bulletin Survey

The Rise of Prescription Drugs

Prescription drugs are a large and growing share of health care spending. That explains why the castle-like edifices of Walgreens, CVS, Rite-Aid, and other pharmacy chains now loom over so many street corners and shopping centers. In 2012, the total amount spent (by insurance companies, government programs, and out-of-pocket payments) on the health care received by Americans amounted to $1.351 trillion. Prescription drugs accounted for more than one-fifth of that amount in 2012, nearly double the share in 1996....

Percent of total health care spending devoted to prescription drugs in 2012 (and 1996)
For people under age 65: 21.9% (11.5%)
For people aged 65-plus: 21.3% (12.7%)

Source: Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, Trends in National Health Care Expenses in the U.S. Civilian Noninstitutionalized Population, Percentage by Type of Service and Source of Payment with Age and Insurance Groups, 1996-2012

Age at First Birth

The average age of American women giving birth for the first time climbed to 26.0 in 2013, up from 25.8 in 2012 and one full year older than the average age at first birth in 2007—the year births peaked in the United States. Age at first birth varies by race and Hispanic origin...

Average age at first birth
29.4 for Asians
26.8 for non-Hispanic Whites
26.7 for Hispanics of Cuban origin
23.9 for Blacks
23.9 for Hispanics of Puerto Rican origin
23.4 for Hispanics of Mexican origin
22.9 for American Indians

Source: National Center for Health Statistics, Births: Final Data for 2013

Food-Away-from-Home Hits All-Time High

American consumers, businesses, and governments spent $1.4 trillion on food and beverages in 2013. Almost half that spending was devoted to food-away-from-home (restaurants, carryouts, etc.). The 49.6 percent of spending devoted to food-away-from-home in 2013 was an all-time high after a several years of decline following the Great Recession.

Share of U.S. food spending devoted to food-away-from-home
2013: 49.6%
2010: 48.6%
2000: 47.0%
1990: 43.0%
1980: 39.0%
1970: 33.4%
1960: 26.3%

"Two-earner households and busier lifestyles have led consumers to spend less time cooking and seek the convenience of food prepared away from home," explains the USDA's Economic Research Service (U.S. Food Sales Evenly Split between At-Home and Away-from-Home Markets).

Tuesday: The Least Happy Day

Tuesday is the least happy day of the week, according to a Gallup Survey. On an average Tuesday in 2014, only 44 percent of Americans reported feeling "a lot of happiness and enjoyment without a lot of stress/worry." The other weekdays were not much better, with only 45 percent feeling happiness on an average Wednesday, 46 percent on Thursdays and Mondays, and 48 percent on Fridays.

The happiest days are holidays. Fully 68 percent of Americans reported feeling happy on Thanksgiving Day 2014, followed by July 4 (67%), and Christmas Day (63%).

Source: Gallup, Holidays, Weekends Still Americans' Happiest Days of Year 

Most Americans Are On Facebook

The 58 percent majority of American adults use Facebook, according to a survey by Pew Research Center. Among online adults, the figure is 71 percent. Among Facebook users, 70 percent check the site every day. The use of Facebook far exceeds the use of other social media sites, with 28 percent of online adults using LinkedIn and Pinterest, 26 percent using Instagram, and 23 percent using Twitter.

Percentage of online adults who use Facebook by age
Aged 18 to 29: 87%
Aged 30 to 49: 73%
Aged 50 to 64: 63%
Aged 65-plus: 56%

The percentage of online adults aged 65 or older who are on Facebook exceeded 50 percent for the first time in 2014, up from 45 percent in 2013 and 35 percent in 2012.

Source: Pew Research Center, Social Media Update 2014

Attitudes toward Climate Change

The American public is divided in its attitude toward climate change...

46% believe the earth's climate is getting warmer due to human activity
25% believe the earth's climate is getting warmer, but not due to human activity
26% do not believe the earth's climate is getting warmer

Source: Public Religion Research Institute, Believers, Sympathizers, and Skeptics: Why Americans Are Conflicted about Climate Change, Environmental Policy, and Science

How Many Have a Cold?

This is one of those winters. The percentage of adults who report being "sick with a cold yesterday" reached an all-time high of 11.6 percent in December, reports Gallup, which has collected monthly data on colds and flu since 2008. By age, young adults are most likely to have been sick with a cold yesterday...

Sick with a cold on an average day in December 2014
Aged 18 to 29: 15.7%
Aged 30 to 44: 12.0%
Aged 45 to 64: 9.9%
Aged 65-plus: 9.6%

A smaller 4.0 percent of adults reported being sick with the flu yesterday, with the figure peaking at 6.9 percent among 30-to-44-year-olds. This is the age group most likely to have children, and people with children are more likely to have the flu (5.8 percent) than those without (3.0 percent).

Source: Gallup, U.S. Flu and Cold Reports among Highest Since 2008

States with Highest Rate of Natural Increase, 2013-14

The rate of natural increase (births minus deaths) varies greatly by state. Overall in the United States, there were 3,957,577 births and 2,593,996 deaths in the 12 months prior to July 1, 2014—resulting in a rate of natural increase of 1.9 percent.

By state, the rate of natural increase varies from a high of 12.4 percent in Utah to a decline in West Virginia (-0.7 percent) and Maine (-0.4 percent). Here are the states with the highest rate of natural increase in the 2013-14 time period...

Utah, 12.4
Alaska, 9.5
Texas, 7.8
Idaho, 7.0
District of Columbia, 6.8
North Dakota, 6.7
California, 6.5
South Dakota, 6.3
Nebraska, 6.0
Colorado, 6.0

Source: Census Bureau, State Totals: Vintage 2014

Most Young Adults Boomerang

The boomerang phenomenon is real. By age 27, most young adults have returned to their parental home for a period of time or never managed to leave, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In an analysis of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, BLS researchers examined the living arrangements of a representative sample of 27-year-olds. Here is their boomerang status...

Never left parental home: 9.8%
Left parental home, but returned: 11.6%
Left parental home, returned, left again: 37.7%
Left parental home, never returned: 40.9%

By age 27, fully 90 percent of young adults had moved out of their parental home. But the 55 percent majority of those who left boomeranged, returning home for a period of time. Those most likely to return home were young adults with a bachelor's degree (59 percent) and those whose families had the highest incomes (58 percent).

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Independence for Young Millennials: Moving Out and Boomeranging Back

The Unpredictable Schedules of Hourly Workers

If you're a worker who gets paid by the hour, chances are you don't know your work schedule more than a week in advance. That's the finding of a Brookings Institution analysis of data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth.

Among 26-to-32-year-olds who are paid by the hour, 41 percent do not know their work schedule more than a week in advance, creating instability for millions of workers. The percentage who must cope with such short notice exceeds the 39 percent who know their schedule at least four weeks in advance. Unpredictable work schedules, says Brookings, limit the upward mobility of low-income workers.

Source: The Brookings Institution, Do Unpredictable Hours Undermine Upward Mobility?

Trends in Weekly Earnings

Median usual weekly earnings for full-time wage and salary workers aged 25 or older, for selected years from 1980 to 2013 (in 2013 dollars)...

Men
2013: $912
2010: $934
2000: $938
1990: $884
1980: $911

Women
2013: $740
2010: $752
2000: $698
1990: $637
1980: $573

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Highlights of Women's Earnings in 2013 (PDF)

Hotter Temps = Lower Incomes

Global warming may reduce incomes in the United States, according to a National Bureau of Economic Research study (NBER Working Paper 20750, $5). In an analysis of 40 years of U.S. county-level data, the researchers find a productivity decline of 1.7 percent for every 1.8°F  rise in daily average temperature. "A weekday above 30°C (86°F) costs an average county $20 per person," they report, noting: "Hot weekends have little effect."