Millennials were the largest generation group in the United States in 2024, with an estimated population of ***** million. Born between 1981 and 1996, Millennials recently surpassed Baby Boomers as the biggest group, and they will continue to be a major part of the population for many years. The rise of Generation Alpha Generation Alpha is the most recent to have been named, and many group members will not be able to remember a time before smartphones and social media. As of 2024, the oldest Generation Alpha members were still only aging into adolescents. However, the group already makes up around ***** percent of the U.S. population, and they are said to be the most racially and ethnically diverse of all the generation groups. Boomers vs. Millennials The number of Baby Boomers, whose generation was defined by the boom in births following the Second World War, has fallen by around ***** million since 2010. However, they remain the second-largest generation group, and aging Boomers are contributing to steady increases in the median age of the population. Meanwhile, the Millennial generation continues to grow, and one reason for this is the increasing number of young immigrants arriving in the United States.

In 2024, Millennials were the largest generation group in the United States, making up about 21.81 percent of the population. However, Generation Z was not far behind, with Gen Z accounting for around 20.81 percent of the population in that year.

This map layer shows the prevalent generations that make up the population of the United States using multiple scales. As of 2018, the most predominant generations in the U.S. are Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964), Millennials (born 1981-1998), and Generation Z (born 1999-2016). Currently, Millennials are the most predominant population in the U.S.A generation represents a group of people who are born around the same time and experience world events and trends during the same stage of life through similar mediums (for example, online, television, print, or radio). Because of this, people born in the same generation are expected to have been exposed to similar values and developmental experiences, which may cause them to exhibit similar traits or behaviors over their lifetimes. Generations provide scientists and government officials the opportunity to measure public attitudes on important issues by people’s current position in life and document those differences across demographic groups and geographic regions. Generational cohorts also give researchers the ability to understand how different developmental experiences, such as technological, political, economic, and social changes, influence people’s opinions and personalities. Studying people in generational groups is significant because an individual’s age is a conventional predictor for understanding cultural and political gaps within the U.S. population.Though there is no exact equation to determine generational cutoff points, it is understood that we designate generational spans based on a 15- to 20-year gap. The only generational period officially designated by the U.S. Census Bureau is based on the surge of births after World War II in 1946 and a significant decline in birth rates after 1964 (Baby Boomers). From that point, generational gaps have been determined by significant political, economic, and social changes that define one’s formative years (for example, Generation Z is considered to be marked by children who were directly affected by the al Qaeda attacks of September 11, 2001).In this map layer, we visualize six active generations in the U.S., each marked by significant changes in American history:The Greatest Generation (born 1901-1924): Tom Brokaw’s 1998 book, The Greatest Generation, coined the term ‘the Greatest Generation” to describe Americans who lived through the Great Depression and later fought in WWII. This generation had significant job and education opportunities as the war ended and the postwar economic booms impacted America.The Silent Generation (born 1925-1945): The title “Silent Generation” originated from a 1951 essay published in Time magazine that proposed the idea that people born during this period were more cautious than their parents. Conflict from the Cold War and the potential for nuclear war led to widespread levels of discomfort and uncertainty throughout the generation.Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964): Baby Boomers were named after a significant increase in births after World War II. During this 20-year span, life was dramatically different for those born at the beginning of the generation than those born at the tail end of the generation. The first 10 years of Baby Boomers (Baby Boomers I) grew up in an era defined by the civil rights movement and the Vietnam War, in which a lot of this generation either fought in or protested against the war. Baby Boomers I tended to have great economic opportunities and were optimistic about the future of America. In contrast, the last 10 years of Baby Boomers (Baby Boomers II) had fewer job opportunities and available housing than their Boomer I counterparts. The effects of the Vietnam War and the Watergate scandal led a lot of second-wave boomers to lose trust in the American government. Generation X (born 1965-1980): The label “Generation X” comes from Douglas Coupland’s 1991 book, Generation X: Tales for An Accelerated Culture. This generation was notoriously exposed to more hands-off parenting, out-of-home childcare, and higher rates of divorce than other generations. As a result, many Gen X parents today are concerned about avoiding broken homes with their own kids.Millennials (born 1981-1998): During the adolescence of Millennials, America underwent a technological revolution with the emergence of the internet. Because of this, Millennials are generally characterized by older generations to be technologically savvy.Generation Z (born 1999-2016): Generation Z or “Zoomers” represent a generation raised on the internet and social media. Gen Z makes up the most ethnically diverse and largest generation in American history. Like Millennials, Gen Z is recognized by older generations to be very familiar with and/or addicted to technology.Questions to ask when you look at this mapDo you notice any trends with the predominant generations located in big cities? Suburbs? Rural areas?Where do you see big clusters of the same generation living in the same area?Which areas do you see the most diversity in generations?Look on the map for where you, your parents, aunts, uncles, and grandparents live. Do they live in areas where their generation is the most predominant?

In 2023, there were approximately ***** million millennials in the United Kingdom, making it the largest generational cohort at that time. Millennials surpassed the Baby Boomer generation as the largest generation for the first time in 2019. The two youngest generations, Gen Z and Gen Alpha, numbered approximately **** million, and *** million respectively. Gen X are, as of the most recent year, the second-largest generation in the UK at ***** million people, with their parent's generation, the Silent Generation, numbering around *** million people in the same year. There were estimated to be ****** people who belonged to the Greatest Generation, the parents of the Baby Boomer generation, who lived through major events such as the Great Depression and World War Two. Post-War Baby Boom The baby boomer generation was the largest generation for much of this period due to the spike in births that happened after the Second World War. In 1947, for example, there were over *** million live births in the United Kingdom, compared with just ******* live births just thirty years later in 1977. Members of this generation are typically the parents of millennials, and were the driving force behind the countercultural movement of the 1960s, due to their large numbers relative to older generations at the time. The next generational cohort after Boomers are Generation X, born between 1965 and 1980. This generation had fewer members than the Boomer generation for most of its existence, and only became larger than it in 2021. Millennials and Gen Z As of 2022, the most common single year of age in the United Kingdom in 2020 was 34, with approximately ******* people this age. Furthermore, people aged between 30 and 34 were the most numerous age group in this year, at approximately 4.67 million people. As of 2022, people in this age group were Millennials, the large generation who came of age in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Many members of this generation entered the workforce following the 2008 financial crash, and suffered through high levels of unemployment during the early 2010s. The generation that followed Millennials, Generation Z, have also experienced tough socio-economic conditions recently, with key formative years dominated by the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, and an increasingly unstable geopolitical situation.

The statistic shows the number of people in the U.S. in 2011 and 2030, by generation. By 2030, the Millennial generation will have 78 million people whereas the Boomer generation will only have 56 million people in the United States.

As of September 2024 in the United Kingdom, 98 percent of Generation Z, those born between 1995 and 2012, were using social media. The same was true for 97 percent of millennials in the country. Overall, 92 percent of Gen X were on social networks, as were 86 percent of Baby boomers.

In 2023, half of Generation Z in the United States were white. In comparison, 48 percent of Gen Alpha were white in that year, making it the first generation that does not have a majority white population in the United States.

In 2021, ** percent of baby boomers preferred in-store shopping, while only ** percent chose online shopping as their primary method of buying. Many millennials and Generation Z shoppers also opted for in-store shopping but showed a way greater interest in hybrid buying methods, at a rate of ** and ** percent, respectively. Favorite brands among young shoppers When comparing male and female Generation Z shoppers in terms of brand preferences in the United States, it was apparent that both groups enjoyed many of the same household names. For instance, brands such as Amazon, Walmart, YouTube, and Netflix appeared on both lists, making them some of the generation’s most popular brands. That said, preferences were far from identical: more Gen Z women liked Doritos, Oreo, and KitKat, while a higher number of Gen Z men had a favorable opinion of Gatorade, PlayStation, and Nike. Sustainable considerations Climate change is a hot topic and is on many consumers’ minds in recent years. As such, a considerable share of people in the United States, and around the world, have started taking up more sustainable habits. For example, many have adapted their shopping and consumption behavior: according to a survey conducted in early 2022, more than half of consumers worldwide planned to avoid buying new goods for sustainability reasons, perhaps intending to buy secondhand or repair the goods they already owned instead.

A survey conducted in February 2023 explored how likely consumers in the United States are to begin their beauty product search on Amazon. According to the survey, older generations displayed a greater inclination to start their search on Amazon than younger age groups. For example, around 35 percent of Gen Z consumers started their search on Amazon, while roughly 44 percent of Baby Boomers did the same.

In January 2024, Generation Z was the generation with the highest share of responding adults who planned not to eat meat in the coming year in Great Britain (GB). Approximately 26 percent stated that they did not intend to eat meat in 2024. Another 26 percent of Gen Z respondents stated that they were already meat-free. Reduction in the meat consumption of British consumers Recently, there have been noticeable changes in meat consumption by consumers in the United Kingdom (UK). Almost one-third of survey respondents stated that they eat less or much less meat, as compared to half a year ago. Moreover, an average of approximately 40 percent of British respondents had recently purchased plant-based alternatives for the first time. This was higher than the share of respondents who had done so in the United States and Germany, which was on average around 31 and 37 percent, respectively. Not only are meat alternatives tried by many new consumers in the UK, but such products are also consumed across all generations, with relatively low variations. The share of consumers who eat meat substitutes in the UK by generation was lowest among baby boomers and highest among millennials and Gen X. Veganism in Great Britain According to a recent survey in the UK, the share of vegans is approximately four percent. There is only a minor difference among the share of vegans when it comes to gender. Moreover, an average of about 56 percent of adults in the UK follow no nutritional rules or diets. Among the different regions in GB, the percentage of vegans slightly varies. In London, the share of people who follow a vegan diet tends to be particularly high, whereas the share of vegans in the Midlands and the rest of the South tends to be relatively low. The main reason for being vegan in the UK is an ethical motivation. Almost 90 percent of survey respondents stated that they do not consume animal products because they think the way animals are farmed and killed for food is cruel. Environmental reasons were also considered by about four-fifths of respondents.

TikTok Shop is doing particularly well with Gen Z shoppers in the U.S. In 2024, over half of Gen Z marketplace buyers had made a purchase on TikTok Shop, more than twice the rate of Millennials and significantly higher than Gen X and Baby Boomers.

According to a survey conducted among over 15,000 respondents in the U.S., between 36 and 55 percent of home buyers who were actively looking to buy a home in the next 12 months were not able to find one at a price they could afford as of the second quarter of 2023. Approximately ** percent of millennials struggled to find a home at an acceptable price, while for Baby Boomers, this percentage was higher at ** percent. According to the source, the main reason for the decline across all generations except for baby boomers was that respondents reported other reasons, such as getting outbid by other buyers or the inability to find a home in the desired neighborhood. In the second quarter of 2023, roughly ** percent of U.S. adults were planning a home purchase in the next year.

How high is the brand awareness of Impossible in the United States?When it comes to meat substitutes users, brand awareness of Impossible is at 64 percent in the United States. The survey was conducted using the concept of aided brand recognition, showing respondents both the brand's logo and the written brand name.How popular is Impossible in the United States?In total, 30 percent of U.S. meat substitutes users say they like Impossible. However, in actuality, among the 64 percent of U.S. respondents who know Impossible, 47 percent of people like the brand.What is the usage share of Impossible in the United States?All in all, 30 percent of meat substitutes users in the United States use Impossible. That means, of the 64 percent who know the brand, 47 percent use them.How loyal are the customers of Impossible?Around 23 percent of meat substitutes users in the United States say they are likely to use Impossible again. Set in relation to the 30 percent usage share of the brand, this means that 77 percent of their customers show loyalty to the brand.What's the buzz around Impossible in the United States?In July 2023, about 24 percent of U.S. meat substitutes users had heard about Impossible in the media, on social media, or in advertising over the past four weeks. Of the 64 percent who know the brand, that's 38 percent, meaning at the time of the survey there's some buzz around Impossible in the United States. It is more about social justice for consumers of Impossible in the U.S. When comparing what aspects in life are the most important to consumers of Impossible and non-consumers there are remarkable differences. One of them is that consumers of Impossible meat substitutes value social justice higher than non-consumers and the general population in the U.S. Comparing the brand KPIs by generation also reveals Gen Z and Baby Boomers to have the highest scores for all brand KPIs when it comes to Impossible in the United States.

According to a survey conducted in the United States in August 2023, 41 percent of Americans used subtitles or closed captions when watching television or movies, while 37 percent use external speakers. This usage of tools during TV and movie consumption differed considerably between the surveyed generations. Gen Z and millennials were twice as likely to use subtitles and closed captions than Gen X and baby boomers in the United States. Likewise, the share of headphone and external speakers users was generally more than 10 percentage points higher among these younger two generations.

According to the Statista Global Consumer Survey carried out between July 2023 and June 2024 in the United Kingdom, members of the baby boomer generational cohort were the most likely to agree with the statement that they actively try to eat healthy. The younger the respondents, the less likely they were to agree with the statement. For more countries, the results of prior surveys, and a variety of other topics, please visit our Global Consumer Survey web page.

Dietary habits among millennials in the UK The millennials are the largest generational cohort in the UK, with almost 14.5 million people. In 2020, millennials surpassed the baby boomer generation as the largest generation for the first time. The most popular type of diet among millennials in the UK is the flexitarian diet, which consists of eating mostly plant-based foods while occasionally eating meat and fish. Approximately 15 percent of millennials are flexitarians. Moreover, around 14 percent of millennials follow a low- or no-carb diet. As compared to other generations, a relatively high share of millennials either do not eat meat or intend to go meat-free in the future. Only Generation Z has a higher share of people who either follow a meat-free diet already or intend to do so in the future. The impact of price increases on healthy eating in the UK Being able to eat healthy is one of the most common food-related concerns among consumers in the UK, as stated by about 46 percent of British consumers. The top food-related concern, however, is the food price. Starting in August 2021, food prices in the UK have increased rapidly. In March 2023, the food inflation peaked at 19.1 percent. Prices have declined since. The increase in the cost of living in the UK has also impacted the healthy eating habits of consumers. Approximately 28 percent of consumers state that they eat less healthy to save money, while 13 percent state that they work more hours and have thus less time to cook.

During a survey conducted in 2024, it was revealed that millennials represented the biggest share of pet owners in the United States (** percent), followed in second place by Generation X (** percent). Baby Boomer's came in third, representing some ** percent of pet owners. Pet ownership in the United States Despite some fluctuations, household penetration rates for pet ownership in the United States have generally increased over the years, going from ** percent in 1988 to approximately ** percent in 2023. With millennials constituting the largest group of pet owners in the United States, they also constituted the generational group that planned to spend the most on their pets during the holidays in 2020, with an average spending of ** U.S. dollars, compared to only ** U.S. dollars of average planned spending on pets for Baby Boomers. Pet expenditure in the U.S. Pet food and treats constituted the highest selling category for pet products in the United States, with total food and treats sales reaching **** billion U.S. dollars in 2022. Vet care and product sales were the second biggest pet market category that year, generating around **** billion U.S. dollars in sales. Generally, average annual pet expenditure was higher for dog owners than for cat owners across all pet market categories in 2020.

In 2024, around four percent of responding German consumers between 18 and 64 years of age followed a vegan diet. In Brazil, China, Mexico, and the U.S., between two and four percent of respondents ate vegan diets. The noteworthy standout is India, where about a tenth of respondents said they typically follow a vegan diet. The survey was carried out in four quarterly waves among online users. Veganism in the European Union The share of adults following a vegan diet in the European Union (EU) varies considerably among the different generations. According to a recent survey, Gen Z had the highest share of vegans in the EU, with approximately four percent. In comparison, among Generation X and the Baby Boomers, the share of vegans was only one percent. In general, the share of vegans in the EU tends to be higher among younger generations. The number of vegans in the EU is forecast to grow from about 6.6 million in 2023 to almost 8.3 million by 2033. Veganism in Germany Germany has a particularly high share of young adults who are vegan or vegetarian, as compared to other European countries. Approximately six and eleven percent of young adults in Germany classify themselves as vegan or vegetarian, respectively. Moreover, being vegan in Germany has become considerably easier over the years. The number of vegan restaurants in Germany has almost quadrupled throughout the last decade, adjusting to the growing demand for alternatives to animal products. While there were only 113 purely vegan restaurants in 2014, a total of 393 vegan restaurants were counted in 2024. The growing demand for animal alternatives can also be observed in the production volume of vegetarian and vegan meat substitutes in Germany. The volume of vegetarian and vegan meat substitutes produced has grown from approximately 60,000 tons in 2019 to about 121,600 tons in 2023.

As of 2021, Millennials and Baby Boomers made up an equal share of the Australian population at around 21.5 percent each, making them the largest generational groups at the time. Those aged 75 years and over made up the smallest portion of the population, followed by Gen Alpha, or those aged 0 to 9 years at the time.

In 2023, Generation Y increased their mobile device and app usage by ** percent compared to 2022. This refers to the number of sessions per user and does not disclose any time spent per session. Gen Z increased their phone usage by ** percent, while boomers decreased their usage by *** percent compared to the previous year.

Baby boomers are the only generation with a general unwillingness to pay more for sustainable products. ** percent of Baby Boomers are unwilling to pay extra, compared to less than half of respondents in every other generation. Members of Generation Z are the most willing to pay for sustainable items, with an overwhelming response of ** percent. Millennials also have a high percentage of respondents willing to pay more.