Share of Population By Age Group and Gender | |||
Age Group | Total | Male Share | Female Share |
12-17 | 7.8% | 8.1% | 7.5% |
18-24 | 9.9 | 10.3 | 9.5 |
25-34 | 13.6 | 14.0 | 13.3 |
35-44 | 12.7 | 12.8 | 12.6 |
45-54 | 13.6 | 13.7 | 13.6 |
55-64 | 12.6 | 12.3 | 12.8 |
65+ | 14.5 | 13.0 | 16.0 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, July 2014 |
There are a few problems to take note of in looking at the numbers, says the report. Chiefly, there is no consensus definition of a Millennial; while 18-34 seems to be the most commonly used bracket (and which doesn’t appear to change with each passing year!), other studies might use a 14-31 range or some other, making it necessary to identify age ranges when referring to this cohort, says the report.
It’s also worth noting that a young Gen Xer might feel more culturally similar to Gen Y. Cultural and behavioral tendencies don’t tend to have fixed age breaks. Nevertheless, things being the way they are, says the report, marketers and researchers often look at age groups.
Commonly Used Age Brackets; Corresponding Population Estimates; Population Shares (As Of July, 2014) | ||
Age Group | Population (Millions) | Share of Total Population |
Traditional Grouping | ||
12-17 | 25 million | 7.8% |
18-24 | 31.5 | 9.9% |
25-34 | 43.5 | 13.6% |
35-44 | 40.5 | 12.7% |
45-54 | 43.5 | 13.6% |
55-64 | 40.1 | 12.6% |
65-74 | 26.4 | 8.3% |
75+ | 19.8 | 6.2% |
Other Popular Age Grouping | ||
18-29 | 53.5 million | 16.8% |
18-34 | 75 | 23.5% |
18-49 | 136.4 | 42.8% |
35-49 | 61.4 | 19.3% |
50-64 | 62.6 | 19.6% |
55+ | 86.3 | 27.1% |
65+ | 46.2 | 14.5% |
Source: MarketingCharts, April 2015 |
Equally as important is a consideration of the descriptions of the various popularly studied cohorts.
While all generations have similarities it is simplistic to say they are the same, says a recent Pew Research Center report, noting the challenge of studying generations:
"Generational analysis… is not an exact science… there are as many differences in attitudes, values, behaviors and lifestyles within a generation as there are between generations… but (it) does not diminish the value of generational analysis… it adds to its richness and complexity… “
Here’s a list of Western world generations, “… which can be taken to mean North America, Europe, South America, and Oceania, but many variations may exist within the regions, geographically and culturally. The list is broadly indicative, but necessarily very general… “ says Pew Research: