{"id":9889,"date":"2020-04-28T13:00:51","date_gmt":"2020-04-28T18:00:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/short-reads\/%year%\/%monthnum%\/%day%\/millennials-overtake-baby-boomers-as-americas-largest-generation\/"},"modified":"2025-04-23T23:57:37","modified_gmt":"2025-04-24T03:57:37","slug":"millennials-overtake-baby-boomers-as-americas-largest-generation","status":"publish","type":"short-read","link":"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/short-reads\/2020\/04\/28\/millennials-overtake-baby-boomers-as-americas-largest-generation\/","title":{"rendered":"Millennials overtake Baby Boomers as America\u2019s largest generation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Our approach to generational analysis has evolved to incorporate new considerations. Learn more about how we currently report on generations<\/a>, and read tips for consuming generations research<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\"Projected<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Millennials have surpassed Baby Boomers as the nation\u2019s largest living adult generation, according to population estimates<\/a> from the U.S. Census Bureau. As of July 1, 2019 (the latest date for which population estimates are available), Millennials, whom we define as ages 23 to 38 in 2019, numbered 72.1 million, and Boomers (ages 55 to 73) numbered 71.6 million. Generation X (ages 39 to 54) numbered 65.2 million and is projected to pass the Boomers in population by 2028.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Millennial generation continues to grow as young immigrants expand its ranks. Boomers \u2013 whose generation was defined by the boom in U.S. births following World War II \u2013 are aging and their numbers shrinking in size as the number of deaths among them exceeds the number of older immigrants arriving in the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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How we did this<\/h1>\n

Population figures for 2019 and earlier years are based on Census Bureau population estimates (2019 vintage and available by single year of age).  Population sizes for 2020 to 2050 are based on Census Bureau population projections<\/a> released in 2017 (and also available by single year of age).  Live births by year are published by the National Vital Statistics<\/a> System of the National Center for Health Statistics.<\/p>\n

This post was originally published on Jan. 16, 2015, under the title \u201cThis year, Millennials will overtake Baby Boomers.\u201d It was updated April 25, 2016, to reflect the changing population, under the headline \u201cMillennials overtake Baby Boomers as America\u2019s largest generation\u201d This reflected the Center\u2019s definition of Millennials at the time (born between 1981 and 1997).<\/p>\n

A third revision published March 1, 2018, reflected the Center\u2019s newly revised definition<\/a>, under which Millennial births end in 1996. Under that new definition, the Millennial population was smaller than that of Boomers, resulting in the headline \u201cMillennials projected to overtake Baby Boomers as America\u2019s largest generation.\u201d<\/p>\n

This latest revision reflects the newly available July 1, 2019, population estimates released in April 2020, as well as new Census Bureau population projections released in 2017. Under these estimates, Millennials have overtaken Boomers under the Center\u2019s revised definition.<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Because generations are analytical constructs, it takes time for popular and expert consensus to develop as to the precise boundaries that demarcate one generation from another. In early 2018, Pew Research Center assessed demographic, labor market, attitudinal and behavioral measures to establish an endpoint<\/a> \u2013 albeit inexact \u2013 for the Millennial generation. Under this updated definition, the youngest \u201cMillennial\u201d was born in 1996.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s a look at some generational projections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Millennials<\/h4>\n\n\n\n