Millennials

Confident. Connected. Open to Change.

Paul Taylor, Pew Research Center

The New Face of America

Millennials (ages 18-29) Adults (ages 30 and older)

Black Black

14% 11%
Hispanic
Hispanic 13%
19%
5% Asian
61% Other
5% 70%
Asian
White
White Other

Source: December 2009 Current Population Survey (CPS)

Full-time Employment Drops among
Young Adults
2010 2006
Change
Working full 41
-9
time 50

Working 24
+3
part time 21

Student, 13
+3
not working 10

Not 22
employed +4
18
Millennials and College
% of Millennials who

Already Plan to graduate

graduated from college
from college

19%
44%
Don't
know 6%

31%

Have no plans to
graduate from college
The Satisfaction Gap
% saying they are satisfied with the way things are going in this country
today

18-29 30+
60

50
41
40

30
26
20

10

0
1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010

Source: Pew Research Center surveys

What Makes Your Generation
Unique?
Millennial Gen X
1. Technology use (24%) 1. Technology use (12%)
2. Music/Pop Culture (11%) 2. Work ethic (11%)
3. Liberal/Tolerant (7%) 3. Conservative/Traditional (7%)

Boomer Silent
1. Work ethic (17%) 1. WW II, Depression (14%)
2. Respectful (14%) 2. Smarter (13%)
3. Values/Morals(8%) 3. Honest (12%)
Do You Have a Profile on a Social
Networking Site?
% saying yes

All 41

Millennial (18-29) 75

Gen X (30-45) 50

Boomer (46-64) 30

Silent (65+) 6
Tattoos, by Generation
% who have a tattoo

All 23

M illennial (18-29) 38

Gen X (30-45) 32

Boomer (46-64) 15

Silent (65+) 6
Life Priorities Of Millennials
% sayingis one of the most important things in their lives

Being a good parent 52

Having a successful marriage 30

Helping others in need 21

Owning a home 20

Living a very religious life 15

Having a high-paying career 15

Having lots of free time 9

Becoming famous 1

Note: Based on adults ages 18-29

Life Priorities of Younger and Older Adults
% sayingis one of the most important things in their lives
18-29 30+

52
Being a good parent
50

30
Having a successful marriage
35

21
Helping others in need
20

20
Owning a home
21

15
Living a very religious life
21

15
Having a high-paying career
7
Marital Status When They Were 18-28
% married by generation

Millennial 21

Gen X 29

Boomer 42

Silent 54

Source: Pew Research Center tabulations from the March Current Population Surveys (1963, 1978,
1995 and 2009) for the civilian, non-institutional population
Share of Births to Unmarried
Mothers in U.S.,1970 and 2007 (%)

39.7

10.7

1970 2007

Source: National Center for Health Statistics

Millennials Assess Trends in Marriage and
Parenting
% saying this trend is a

Bad thing No difference Good thing

M ore single women having children 59 34 6

M ore gay couples raising children 32 46 19

M ore mothers of young children

23 40 33
working outside the home

M ore people living together without

22 63 14
getting married

M ore people of different races

5 60 34
marrying each other
A Gentler Generation Gap
% saying there is a generation gap in American society

1969 74

2009 79

Source: Pew Research Center and Gallup surveys

Conflicts between Social Groups, 2009
% saying there are very strong/strong conflicts between

Immigrants and people born

55
in the United States

Rich people and poor people 47

Blacks and whites 39

Young people and older people 26

Source: Pew Research Center surveys