U.S. population by generation 2019

Millennials were the largest generation group in the U.S. in 2019, with an estimated population of 72.1 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 Z

Generation Z 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. However, the group already makes up around 20 percent of the U.S. population, and they are said to be the most racially and ethnically diverse of all the generation groups. With the oldest Generation Z members turning 23 this year, a sizeable share will be eligible to vote in the 2020 electorate.

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 nearly six 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.