Born after World War II, between 1946 and 1964, Baby Boomers represent our largest-and most talked-about-generation. Baby Boomers are typically characterized as those who grew up watching TV, swooning over The Beatles, protesting the Vietnam War and ushering in social change. Here are 10 facts you may not know about Baby Boomers today:
1. Baby Boomers make up about 26 percent of the population.
Many of our most recent Baby Boomer statistics come from the 2006 data gathered by the U.S. Census Bureau. At that time, there were approximately 78 million Baby Boomers, which was 26.1 percent of the general population.
2. California is home to more Baby Boomers than any other state.
California tops the census data as the state that has the highest number of Baby Boomers. Its nearly nine million Baby Boomer residents put it far ahead of estimates for the next closest states: Texas (5.6 million), New York (5.1 million), Florida (4.6 million) and Pennsylvania (3.4 million).
3. The highest concentration of Baby Boomers is found in Vermont.
When it comes to percentages, Vermont has the highest concentration of Baby Boomers at 30 percent of the total population. In fact, New England is well represented in the top 5 states with Maine coming in at 29.8 percent and New Hampshire at 29.7 percent. Fourth and fifth places go to Montana (28.7 percent) and Connecticut (28.1).
4. Nearly a third of Baby Boomers have graduated college.
Baby Boomers represent a diverse educational mix. Census data estimates that 28.8 percent of Baby Boomers have earned a Bachelor’s degree or higher, while another 28.9 percent have attended some college classes.
5. More than half of Baby Boomers support their adult children financially.
A 2012 study by the National Center for Policy Analysis took a look, in part, at the way Baby Boomers are spending their money. A surprising 59 percent of Baby Boomer parents were found to be providing financial support to their adult children, including living expenses, medical bills and paying off loans.
6. Baby Boomers are spending less on entertainment and eating out.
While they may be spending more on their adult children, Baby Boomers may also be spending less on themselves. From 1990 to 2010, Baby Boomer spending fell in categories such as food, clothing and household furnishings.
7. There are now more female Baby Boomers than males.
While the Baby Boomer generation is about still about half male and half female, women are slowing gaining as the generation ages. In 2006, there were approximately 96 male Baby Boomers for every 100 female Baby Boomers.
8. About two-thirds of Baby Boomers are married.
Some of the Baby Boomer generation may have once celebrated free love, but the 65.6 percent of Boomers today are married. Only 11.7 percent have never been married, with the rest of today’s Baby Boomers being either divorced (17 percent), separated (3 percent) or widowed (2.7 percent).
9. The majority of Baby Boomers are homeowners.
Owning a home was a large part of the traditional American Dream embraced by Baby Boomers. According to a study by the National Association of Realtors, nearly 80 percent of Baby Boomers own their own homes and one out of four owns more than one property.
10. Three Baby Boomers have led from the Oval Office.
So far, three U.S. Presidents have been Baby Boomers: Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and our current president, Barack Obama. We’ll have to wait until 2016 to see if the trend continues for another term.
