From social media (okay, mainly TikTok), news reports, and everyday interactions we have when talking about Millenials and Generation Z, you may have asked yourself: What categorizes people into these generations?
If you are curious to see which one you're a part of, check out the list below for timeframes and information about the six generations.
The Greatest Generation/GI Generation
Born in 1924 or earlier.
The term itself is used to describe the Americans who grew up during the Great Depression and fought in World War II or helped out in some way. Some say that "The Greatest Generation" was coined by retired NBC Nightly News anchor and author Tom Brokaw, in his book by the same name.
Silent Generation/ Traditionalists
Born in 1925-1945.
People of the Silent Generation considered more "cautious" than their parents growing up during McCarthyism.Many members of this generation were pioneers in music, art, film, and much more. They are also known as "Radio Babies".
No one in the Silent Generation became president.
Baby Boomers
Born in 1946-1964.
They were named after the accelerated amount of births after World War II. At the end of 1946, there were 2.4 million Baby Boomers. Today, there are nearly 72 million Boomers between ages 55 to 73.
Also, a majority of them are still in the labor force.
In 2018, 29% of Boomers ages 65 to 72, especially women, were actively looking for work which outpaced the labor market of generations before them, according to Pew Research Center.
Bill Clinton was the first Baby Boomer to become president. Barack Obama and Donald Trump are also Baby Boomers.
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Generation X
Born in 1965-1980.
They are the only generation of households who were able to recover the wealth that they lost after the Great Recession recession.
Millennials
Born in 1981-1996.
Since July 2019, the U.S. Census Bureau's population estimates show that Millennials have surpassed Baby Boomers as the largest living adult generation in the United States.
Fun fact: 2016 was the first year any millennial was allowed to run for president (you have to be at least 35-years-old).
Generation Z
Born in 1997- no end date set.
Generation Z is ethnically diverse. 14 per cent are Black, 6 per cent are Asian, and 52 per cent are non-Hispanic white and the last 4 per cent are of different racial backgrounds or are two or more races.
Moreover, Gen Z, alongside Millenials and Generation X had more voter turnout in the 2018 midterm election than generations prior. A total of 62.2 million votes were cast from them.
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