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?

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.

In 2023, there were about **** million Millennials estimated to be living in the United States, making them the largest generation group in the country. In comparison, there were ***** million Gen Z and ***** million Gen X estimated to be in the United States in that year.

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.

About this dataset

Context

The dataset tabulates the United States population distribution across 18 age groups. It lists the population in each age group along with the percentage population relative of the total population for United States. The dataset can be utilized to understand the population distribution of United States by age. For example, using this dataset, we can identify the largest age group in United States.

Key observations

The largest age group in United States was for the group of age 25-29 years with a population of 22,854,328 (6.93%), according to the 2021 American Community Survey. At the same time, the smallest age group in United States was the 80-84 years with a population of 5,932,196 (1.80%). Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2017-2021 5-Year Estimates.

Content

When available, the data consists of estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2017-2021 5-Year Estimates.

Age groups:

• Under 5 years
• 5 to 9 years
• 10 to 14 years
• 15 to 19 years
• 20 to 24 years
• 25 to 29 years
• 30 to 34 years
• 35 to 39 years
• 40 to 44 years
• 45 to 49 years
• 50 to 54 years
• 55 to 59 years
• 60 to 64 years
• 65 to 69 years
• 70 to 74 years
• 75 to 79 years
• 80 to 84 years
• 85 years and over

Variables / Data Columns

• Age Group: This column displays the age group in consideration
• Population: The population for the specific age group in the United States is shown in this column.
• % of Total Population: This column displays the population of each age group as a proportion of United States total population. Please note that the sum of all percentages may not equal one due to rounding of values.

Good to know

Margin of Error

Data in the dataset are based on the estimates and are subject to sampling variability and thus a margin of error. Neilsberg Research recommends using caution when presening these estimates in your research.

Custom data

If you do need custom data for any of your research project, report or presentation, you can contact our research staff at research@neilsberg.com for a feasibility of a custom tabulation on a fee-for-service basis.

Inspiration

Neilsberg Research Team curates, analyze and publishes demographics and economic data from a variety of public and proprietary sources, each of which often includes multiple surveys and programs. The large majority of Neilsberg Research aggregated datasets and insights is made available for free download at https://www.neilsberg.com/research/.

Recommended for further research

This dataset is a part of the main dataset for United States Population by Age. You can refer the same here

As of February 2025, ** percent of LinkedIn users in the United States were Millennials, whilst ** percent belonged to Generation Z. Additionally, *** in *** U.S. users were Baby boomers.

Throughout the past decade, the United States has been notably decreasing its use of coal, and increasing the use of natural gas and renewable energy sources for electricity generation. In 2024, natural gas was by far the largest source of electricity in the North American country, with a generation share of 43 percent. Renewable energy's share amounted to 24 percent that year.

A study of core radio listeners in the U.S. and Canada in 2021 found that approximately 43 percent of Gen Z respondents consumed podcasts weekly or more. Another 48 percent of surveyed Millennials were weekly podcast consumers. Contrarily, only 23 and 17 percent of Boomers and the Greatest Generation (born around the second world war, or before), respectively, listened to podcasts at least weekly.

Baby Boomers were the largest population of wine drinkers in the United States in 2023. Both Gen Z and the oldest consumers made up the smallest shares, at six percent each.

The North American gas turbine MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul) market within the power sector is experiencing robust growth, driven by an aging power generation fleet requiring increasing maintenance and the rising demand for reliable and efficient power supply. A CAGR exceeding 3.00% indicates a significant expansion, projected to continue through 2033. This growth is fueled by several key factors: the increasing age and operational hours of gas turbines, necessitating more frequent and extensive MRO services; a growing emphasis on optimizing power plant performance and extending the lifespan of existing assets; and the ongoing transition towards cleaner energy sources, which still heavily relies on existing gas turbine infrastructure requiring sustained maintenance. The market is segmented geographically, with the United States commanding the largest share, followed by Canada and the Rest of North America. Major players like General Electric, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and Siemens Energy are actively competing in this space, offering a wide range of services from routine maintenance to complex overhauls. Competition is expected to intensify as smaller, specialized MRO providers aim to capture market share. The market’s segmentation into maintenance, repair, and overhaul services allows for a nuanced understanding of demand. Repair services likely constitute the largest segment due to the frequent need for addressing immediate issues. Overhaul services, while less frequent, represent a significant revenue stream due to their higher cost and complexity. Maintenance contracts, providing preventative care, are increasingly favored by power plant operators to minimize unexpected downtime. Future growth will be influenced by technological advancements in MRO technologies, regulatory changes impacting emissions standards, and the overall pace of renewable energy adoption which will impact the operational life of existing gas turbine assets. Despite potential headwinds from fluctuating energy prices and economic downturns, the overall outlook for the North American gas turbine MRO market remains positive, underpinned by the aging fleet and the consistent need for reliable power generation. Recent developments include: August 2022: Duke Energy's Lincoln Combustion Turbine Station, powered by Siemens Energy's SGT6-9000HL (60Hz) turbine, has been certified as the "highest powerful simple-cycle gas power plant" with an output of 410.9 megawatts by Guinness World Records. Siemens Energy installed and is now testing its SGT6-9000HL turbine at Duke Energy's Lincoln Combustion Turbine Station near Denver, N.C., some 25 miles north of Charlotte, N.C., as part of an innovative partnership., May 2022: The first two Mitsubishi Power M501JAC gas turbines made in North America reached commercial operation at J-POWER USA Development Co. Ltd.'s (J-POWER USA) Jackson Generation Project, a 1,200 megawatt (MW) combined-cycle power plant in Elwood, Illinois.. Notable trends are: Maintenance Service Type Segment to Dominate the Market.

As of 2023, China was the largest producer of electricity globally by a significant margin with over *** petawatt-hours generated, followed by the United States with *** petawatt-hours. Both countries generated a considerable amount more than the next highest producer, India, where almost *** petawatt-hours were produced. Coal and natural gas remain the primary sources of energy worldwide, maintaining a high global reliance on fossil-based fuels. For instance, natural gas was the largest source of electricity generation in the U.S. in 2023, followed by renewables.

Global expansion of electricity networks Energy networks have been undergoing expansion and modernization to tackle challenges such as the climate crisis and a growing global population through electrification. As a result of this, there has been significant growth in electricity access, with almost *** million more people gaining access to energy networks worldwide in 2022, of which ** million were in Central and Southern Asia. With increased electricity access, a growth in electricity production will become necessary.

Transitioning towards renewables Use of both coal and renewable electricity has grown worldwide, particularly in the European Union and China, where the largest year-on-year change in coal and renewable generation was recorded in 2023. As part of its increase in power generation, China has the largest share of clean electricity capacity installed by country worldwide, amounting to approximately **** terawatts.

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.

Nearly **** of all meal kit customers in the United States are Millennials. This is revealed when analyzing the latest 2025 Statista Consumer Insights data. The second-largest generational group of food subscription box users in the U.S. is Generation Z. In contrast, consumers born before 1980 represent only ** percent of the target group of meal kits in the United States.Online food delivery in the United States The meal kits market is a segment in the broader online food delivery industry, which is booming in the United States. In 2025, the online food delivery market revenue is estimated to reach *** billion U.S. dollars, more than ****** the value recorded in 2021.

The total average non-mortgage debt of Baby Boomers in the United States amounted to nearly 18,470 U.S. dollars in 2024. Debt balances, however, varied greatly according to the generation. The Generation X held the highest debt on average, while the silent generation held the lowest average debt.

According to a September 2024 survey of adults in the United States, Baby Boomers and the Silent Generation were the most likely to vote in the 2024 presidential election, with ** percent and ** percent stating that they were definitely going to vote, respectively. In comparison, ** percent of Gen Z and Millennial Americans said they were definitely planning to vote in November.

By 2028, it is estimated that Gen Z and millennial voters will comprise the majority of eligible voters in the United States. In the upcoming 2024 presidential election, Gen Z and millennial voters will make up around **** percent of eligible voters in the country.

Washington, D.C. had the highest net migration for 18 to 24-year-olds in 2021, making it the most attractive city among the generation Z population. The number of Zoomers who moved in less the number of Zoomers who moved out of Washington stood at ******. Columbia, SC, and Boston, MA, were the two other cities where this figure where the net migration exceeded 10,000.

According to a 2022 survey conducted in the United States, ** percent of Generation Z respondents reported spending more than **** hours on social media daily - almost ****** the amount of time adults of other generations spent on social media daily. Overall, *** in **** adults spent less than *** hour per day on social media.