Generation X

Americans Born from 1965 to 1976

POPULATION CHARACTERISTICS
49 million Gen Xers in the U.S. 17% of the U.S. population. 19% of Gen Xers are foreign-born. Close to half come from Central America.
Percent Distribution of Gen X Population by Race/ Ethnicity
70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0
6% 17% 13% 63%

Asian

Black

Hispanic

W hite

POPULATION CHARACTERISTICS
Percent Distribution of Gen X Population by Region
W t es , 24% Nort heas , t 19%

More than onethird of Gen Xers live in the South.

Midwes , t 22% S h, out 36%

EDUCATION
Percent Graduat ing from H igh S chool by Year
100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2004
Men W omen

Generation X has higher high school graduation rates than previous generations.

EDUCATION
Generation X is better educated than previous generations. Women in Generation X are the most highly educated; 32.4% have a college degree.
Percent of Gen X W a Bachelor"s ith Degree 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0
Millennials Gen X Baby Silent s born 1977 born 1965 Boomers born 1925 t 1994 o t 1976 born 1946 t 1945 o o t 1964 o

31% 26%

30%

21%

EDUCATION
Percentage of Gen X W a ith College Degree
59%

60 50 40 30 20 10 0

56%

38% 35%

19%

22% 13%

11%

Asian

Black

Hispanic

Whit e

Men W omen

Asians have the highest educational attainment. Hispanics have the lowest educational attainment due to recent immigration.

LABOR FORCE PARTICIPATION

Generations in the Workplace
S ilent , 5% Millennials , 10% Baby B oomers , 45%

Generat ion X, 40%

Four generations are currently in the workplace. Boomers and Generation X make up 85% of the workforce.

LABOR FORCE PARTICIPATION

Percentage of Generation X in the L abor F orce, 2005

Generation X has high labor force participation rates.

100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0

91% 74%

93% 74%

93% 75%

25 to 29

30 to 34 W omen

35 to 39

Men

LABOR FORCE PARTICIPATION

Percent of Married Gen X Couples Who are Dual and Single Earners
70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Dual earners Husband only
3% 2% 29% 66%

Two-thirds of Generation X couples are both in the labor force.

W only ife Neither

LABOR FORCE PARTICIPATION

Pecentage of Gen X W orkers Who W ork F T ull ime
100 95
94% 96%

Most Gen Xers work full time.

90 85 80 75 70 25 to 34 years of age Men 35 to 44 years of age W omen

81% 80%

LABOR FORCE PARTICIPATION

Percentage of Gen Xers Working 10+ Years for the Same Employer
40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 30 to 34 35 to 39 years of age years of age
21% 17% 12% 10% 26% 25% 21% 36%

Boomer men Boomer women Gen X men Gen X women

Fewer Gen Xers have long-term jobs with one employer due to layoffs.

LABOR FORCE PARTICIPATION

Percent of F ull-T ime Gen X W age and Salary W orkers W ith F lex Schedules, 2004
30%

More than one in four (29%) 35 to 44-year-olds works a flexible schedule.

30 29.5 29 28.5 28 27.5 27 Men W omen

28%

INCOME
Yearly Median Income of Households by Age of Household Head
$60,000 $50,000 $40,000 $30,000 $20,000 $10,000 $0 1990 1995 2000 2004

The median income for Generation X has declined since 2000.

25 to 34 35 to 44

INCOME
Asian and white Gen Xers have the highest household incomes due to dual earners and higher education.
M edianIn com ofGenXer e s by R ace
$0 0 7 ,0 0 $0 0 6 ,0 0 $0 0 5 ,0 0 $0 0 4 ,0 0 $0 0 3 ,0 0 $0 0 2 ,0 0 $0 0 1 ,0 0 $ 0 $2 7 3 ,2 2 $5 2 3 ,7 3

$4 6 6 ,5 8 $5 5 5 ,7 1

As ian

B lack

H panic is

W e hit

HOME OWNERSHIP
56.8% of Gen Xers between the ages of 30 and 34 own their own home. 66.6% of Gen Xers between the ages of 35 and 39 own their own home.

LIVING ARRANGEMENTS
Gen X Houshold Heads
60 50 40 30 20 10 0
16% 8% 6% 11% 53%

Married couple

F emale Male no spouse no spouse

F emale living alone

Male living alone

More than half of Gen Xers live in marriedcouple households.

LIVING ARRANGEMENTS
Almost twothirds of Asian Gen Xers live in marriedcouple households. One-fourth live alone or with nonrelatives.
Percent Distribution of Gen X Households Headed by Asians
70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0
Married couples

62%

25% 7%

6%

F emaleheaded

Maleheaded

Living alone or wit nonh relat ives

LIVING ARRANGEMENTS
Percent Distribution of Gen X Households Headed by Blacks
40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0
Married couples F emaleheaded Maleheaded Living alone or wit nonh relat ives

37% 29% 29%

6%

More than onethird of black Gen X families are femaleheaded. Less than onethird of families are marriedcouple families.

LIVING ARRANGEMENTS
More than half of Hispanic/Latino Gen Xers live in married-couple households.
Percent Distribution of Gen X Households Headed by Hispanics/ L atinos
60 50 40 30
19% 56%

20 10 0
Married couples F emaleheaded

18% 8%

Maleheaded

Living alone or wit nonh relat ives

LIVING ARRANGEMENTS
Percent Distribution of Gen X Households Headed by Whites
60 50 40
28% 57%

30 20 10 0
Married couples F emaleheaded

11% 5%

Maleheaded

Living alone or wit nonh relat ives

More than half of white Gen Xers live in married-couple households. More than onefourth live alone or with non-relatives.

PRESENCE OF CHILDREN
The majority of women giving birth are in their 20s and 30s. Generation X accounts for most births today. Average family size for Gen Xers is 3.2.
U nder 2, 7 3% 5

4 or 2 older , 3 %

2 t 4 7o 1 year s old, 6% 2

PRESENCE OF CHILDREN
Percent of Gen X Households With Children Under 18 at Home
70%

70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Asian
51%

62% 55%

Black

Hispanic

W hite

7 of 10 Hispanic Gen X households have children under 18. Two-thirds of black Gen X households have children under 18.

PRESENCE OF CHILDREN
More than onethird of Gen X couples have two children. 1 in 5 Gen X married couples have three or more children.
Percent Distribution of Married Couples by Number of Children
T hree or More Children, 20% No Children, 23%

T wo Children, 34%

One Child, 24%

PRESENCE OF CHILDREN
Percent Distribution of F emaleHeaded F amilies by Number of Children Under 18 at Home
T hree or More Children, 23% No Children, 10%

One Child, 34% T wo Children, 33%

90% of femaleheaded Gen X families have a child under 18 living at home.

VOLUNTEERING
34.5% of Gen Xers volunteered their time in 2005:
28.8% of men volunteered. 39.9% of women volunteered.

Types of organizations Gen Xers volunteered for include:

Education or youth service Religious Social or community service

VOLUNTEERING
Types of volunteer work most commonly performed by Gen Xers:
Fund-raising or selling something to raise money Collecting, preparing, or serving food Tutoring or teaching Transportation/general labor Mentoring youth

SELLING TO GEN X PARENTS

Life has not been stable. Gen Xers were the children of divorce and dual incomes, and were latchkey kids who grew up by themselves.
Selling point: Convince them that your organization is reliable and will simplify rather than complicate their lives.
Just below the Baby Boom CCc: Generation X; Modern Donor, 2005

SELLING TO GEN X PARENTS

More family time, less contentment: Instead of trying to fit family time around work, they are more likely to try to fit work around family time. They would generally like to spend more time with their kids.
Selling point: Quantity time with their kids as well as quality time
2003 Generation X study by Reach Advisors Marketing Strategy Group

SELLING TO GEN X PARENTS

The soccer mom is history. Moms have a high level of education, marry later, and have children later. They are very diverse in their wants and needs. Many are stay-at-home moms.
Selling point: S how the variety of moms in your advertising. If you are only onedimensional, you are dead.
2003 Generation X study by Reach Advisors Marketing Strategy Group

SELLING TO GEN X PARENTS

Dads do more at home. Dads work to be involved in the daily lives of their children and are more likely to play a significant role in their activities.
Selling point: Selling kids activities to dads, show how it can help them be more involved.
2003 Generation X study by Reach Advisors Marketing Strategy Group

SELLING TO GEN X PARENTS

Whats in it for me? Because of the way this generation has been raised and their job patterns, they look for what is in it for them. They want to see a direct return on their investment of time and money.
Selling point: ROI in terms of time and money
March 2006, An Opportunity and a Challenge, Successful Meetings