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Middle BoomersMiddle Boomers are adults ages 51–57 years old in 2009, born between 1952 and 1958.
Total U.S. Population by 2030
› By 2030, Middle Boomers will be ages 72–78 and make up 6% of the total population.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, National Population Estimates & Projections
Total U.S. Population in 2009
› In 2009, Middle Boomers represented 10% of the total population, or about 1 in 10 people.
› 49% male› 51% female
Overview of America’s Middle Boomers in 2009This is one in a series of demographic profiles by the MetLife Mature Market Institute. The 29 million Middle Boomers define the largest demographic segment of this generation, representing about 38% of all Boomers.
Average Annual Expenditures
Ages 51–54 55–57 Food and Alcohol $8,120 $7,374 Housing $19,368 $18,870 Apparel and Services $2,206 $1,738 Transportation $10,585 $10,048 Health Care $2,901 $4,099 Entertainment $3,264 $3,253 Personal Insurance and Pensions $7,775 $7,439 Cash Contributions $2,131 $2,318 Education $1,992 $929 Miscellaneous $2,232 $2,633 Average Annual Expenditures $60,573* $58,700**Total varies due to rounding.Source: Based on MMI calculation of data from U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Expenditure Survey, 2008
This profile of America’s Middle Boomers was prepared by the MetLife Mature Market Institute. This and its many other free publications and research are available online. Check the “Research” tab at www.MatureMarketInstitute.com.
Visit: www.MatureMarketInstitute.com | E-mail: [email protected]: MetLife Mature Market Institute, 57 Greens Farms Road, Westport, CT 06880Fax: (203) 454-5339
Established in 1997, the Mature Market Institute (MMI) is MetLife’s research organization and a recognized thought leader on the multi-dimensional and multi-generational issues of aging and longevity. MMI’s groundbreaking research, gerontology expertise, national partnerships, and educational materials work to expand the knowledge and choices for those in, approaching, or caring for those in the mature market.
1952Alice Hoffman Bill WaltonBob CostasChristopher ReeveDavid ByrneJimmy ConnorsMaureen Dowd
1953Cyndi LauperHulk HoganJohn EdwardsMeredith VieiraThomas FriedmanTony Blair
1954Al Sharpton Condoleezza RiceDenzel WashingtonElvis CostelloHoward SternJerry SeinfeldJohn TravoltaOprah Winfrey Ron Howard
1955Bill Gates John GrishamKelsey GrammerKevin CostnerMaria ShriverSteve JobsWhoopi Goldberg
1956Bo DerekDorothy HamillJoe MontanaLarry BirdMel Gibson Paula ZahnSteve BallmerTom Hanks 1957Cindy SheehanDaniel Day-LewisDonnie Osmond Katherine HarrisKatie CouricMatt LauerNancy LopezSpike Lee
1958Alec BaldwinAndrea BocelliChristiane AmanpourEllen DeGeneresKevin Bacon MadonnaMichael JacksonScott HamiltonWade Boggs
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Key Birth Years of Middle Boomers
FINANCES
Household Income in 2008 by Household Type
Mean Median Mean MedianMarried Couple Families $108,910 $86,657 $103,825 $83,450
Male Householders Living Alone $45,577 $32,658 $47,429 $31,427
Female Householders Living Alone $39,976 $30,687 $39,685 $30,336
Overall Male Householders $50,253 $38,750 $53,505 $33,654
Overall Female Householders $43,726 $33,980 $42,817 $31,426
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, Annual Social & Economic Supplement, 2009
Ages 50–54 Ages 55–59
With very high employment rates and low poverty rates, the Middle Boomers are still in their prime earning years. Middle Boomers fared pretty well in the 1990s, as their household income increased by about 20% during that decade. They still have among the highest average household incomes, driven by the large percentage of two-earner households in this age group.3
Their next challenge though will be funding a longer life and retirement as they enter their pre-retirement years. The recent economic turbulence has had an unnerving impact on their overall finances, as it has for other Americans from all generations.
As the Middle Boomers—the largest sub-segment of the Boomer cohort—moved into their
formative teen and early adult years, realities often dampened the dreams of a high-flying future.
In 1966, they were introduced to the potential to venture beyond their own world with
the premiere of the television space adventure “Star Trek,” followed by lunar explorations
with real astronauts. But by 1978, the SkyLab space station was crashing back to earth and
“stagflation” entered the dictionary euphemistically signaling a new form of economic
decline as well. While many of them were old enough to have participated in the social
change of the 1960s, many Middle Boomers were also just young enough to have watched
from the sidelines.
The economic and social world they entered as adults in their twenties was quite different
than that of their slightly older siblings, providing them with a world view less driven by
exuberance and more by a new sense of an emerging, more sober reality. They were also in
a better position just a few decades later, however, to take advantage of relative stability and
economic growth.
Middle Boomers—Caught In Between America’sMIDDLEBOOMERS
DEMOgRAphIc pROfILE
6%Variable And Long-Term Care Products Are: • Not A Deposit Or Other Obligation Of Bank • Not FDIC-Insured • Not Insured By Any Federal Government Agency
Only Variable Annuity Products: • Not Guaranteed By Any Bank Or Credit Union • May Go Down In Value
Only Long-Term Care Products: • Not Issued, Guaranteed Or Underwritten By Bank Or FDIC • Not A Condition To The Provision Or Term Of Any Banking Service Or Activity
• Policy Is An Obligation Of The Issuing Insurance Company
Hispanic (Any Race)
10%
All Other Races 2%
Non-Hispanic Asian Alone
4%
Non-Hispanic Black Alone
11%
Non-Hispanic White Alone
73%
Hispanic (Any Race)
11%
All Other Races 2%
Non-Hispanic Asian Alone
5%
Non-Hispanic Black Alone
10%
Non-Hispanic White Alone
72%
2009 2030
Middle Boomer Males 14,214,527 10,242,422
Middle Boomer Females 14,874,987 12,272,045
Total: 29,089,514 22,514,467
Middle Boomers
10%
2009
6%
2030
% Below Poverty Level*
Males 7.8% Females 8.9%
Poverty Status in 2008
* People and families are classified as being in poverty if their income is less than their poverty threshold. Poverty thresholds are dollar amounts the Census Bureau uses to determine a family’s or person’s poverty status.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, Annual Social & Economic Supplement, 2009
Middle Boomers have the lowest poverty level of any Boomer segment.
3 American Generations—Who They Are and How They Live. 6th Ed. Ithaca, NY: New Strategist Publications, Inc., 2008.
MMI00126(0210) ©2010 Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, New York, NY L0210086941[exp0113]
Racial and Ethnic Composition*
2030
2009
*Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, National Population Estimates & Projections
Middle Boomers
A D
emographic Profile of A
merica’s M
iddle Boom
ersPR
OFILE
Middle BoomersMiddle Boomers are adults ages 51–57 years old in 2009, born between 1952 and 1958.
Total U.S. Population by 2030
› By 2030, Middle Boomers will be ages 72–78 and make up 6% of the total population.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, National Population Estimates & Projections
Total U.S. Population in 2009
› In 2009, Middle Boomers represented 10% of the total population, or about 1 in 10 people.
› 49% male› 51% female
Overview of America’s Middle Boomers in 2009This is one in a series of demographic profiles by the MetLife Mature Market Institute. The 29 million Middle Boomers define the largest demographic segment of this generation, representing about 38% of all Boomers.
Average Annual Expenditures
Ages 51–54 55–57 Food and Alcohol $8,120 $7,374 Housing $19,368 $18,870 Apparel and Services $2,206 $1,738 Transportation $10,585 $10,048 Health Care $2,901 $4,099 Entertainment $3,264 $3,253 Personal Insurance and Pensions $7,775 $7,439 Cash Contributions $2,131 $2,318 Education $1,992 $929 Miscellaneous $2,232 $2,633 Average Annual Expenditures $60,573* $58,700**Total varies due to rounding.Source: Based on MMI calculation of data from U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Expenditure Survey, 2008
This profile of America’s Middle Boomers was prepared by the MetLife Mature Market Institute. This and its many other free publications and research are available online. Check the “Research” tab at www.MatureMarketInstitute.com.
Visit: www.MatureMarketInstitute.com | E-mail: [email protected]: MetLife Mature Market Institute, 57 Greens Farms Road, Westport, CT 06880Fax: (203) 454-5339
Established in 1997, the Mature Market Institute (MMI) is MetLife’s research organization and a recognized thought leader on the multi-dimensional and multi-generational issues of aging and longevity. MMI’s groundbreaking research, gerontology expertise, national partnerships, and educational materials work to expand the knowledge and choices for those in, approaching, or caring for those in the mature market.
1952Alice Hoffman Bill WaltonBob CostasChristopher ReeveDavid ByrneJimmy ConnorsMaureen Dowd
1953Cyndi LauperHulk HoganJohn EdwardsMeredith VieiraThomas FriedmanTony Blair
1954Al Sharpton Condoleezza RiceDenzel WashingtonElvis CostelloHoward SternJerry SeinfeldJohn TravoltaOprah Winfrey Ron Howard
1955Bill Gates John GrishamKelsey GrammerKevin CostnerMaria ShriverSteve JobsWhoopi Goldberg
1956Bo DerekDorothy HamillJoe MontanaLarry BirdMel Gibson Paula ZahnSteve BallmerTom Hanks 1957Cindy SheehanDaniel Day-LewisDonnie Osmond Katherine HarrisKatie CouricMatt LauerNancy LopezSpike Lee
1958Alec BaldwinAndrea BocelliChristiane AmanpourEllen DeGeneresKevin Bacon MadonnaMichael JacksonScott HamiltonWade Boggs
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Key Birth Years of Middle Boomers
FINANCES
Household Income in 2008 by Household Type
Mean Median Mean MedianMarried Couple Families $108,910 $86,657 $103,825 $83,450
Male Householders Living Alone $45,577 $32,658 $47,429 $31,427
Female Householders Living Alone $39,976 $30,687 $39,685 $30,336
Overall Male Householders $50,253 $38,750 $53,505 $33,654
Overall Female Householders $43,726 $33,980 $42,817 $31,426
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, Annual Social & Economic Supplement, 2009
Ages 50–54 Ages 55–59
With very high employment rates and low poverty rates, the Middle Boomers are still in their prime earning years. Middle Boomers fared pretty well in the 1990s, as their household income increased by about 20% during that decade. They still have among the highest average household incomes, driven by the large percentage of two-earner households in this age group.3
Their next challenge though will be funding a longer life and retirement as they enter their pre-retirement years. The recent economic turbulence has had an unnerving impact on their overall finances, as it has for other Americans from all generations.
As the Middle Boomers—the largest sub-segment of the Boomer cohort—moved into their
formative teen and early adult years, realities often dampened the dreams of a high-flying future.
In 1966, they were introduced to the potential to venture beyond their own world with
the premiere of the television space adventure “Star Trek,” followed by lunar explorations
with real astronauts. But by 1978, the SkyLab space station was crashing back to earth and
“stagflation” entered the dictionary euphemistically signaling a new form of economic
decline as well. While many of them were old enough to have participated in the social
change of the 1960s, many Middle Boomers were also just young enough to have watched
from the sidelines.
The economic and social world they entered as adults in their twenties was quite different
than that of their slightly older siblings, providing them with a world view less driven by
exuberance and more by a new sense of an emerging, more sober reality. They were also in
a better position just a few decades later, however, to take advantage of relative stability and
economic growth.
Middle Boomers—Caught In Between America’sMIDDLEBOOMERS
DEMOgRAphIc pROfILE
6%Variable And Long-Term Care Products Are: • Not A Deposit Or Other Obligation Of Bank • Not FDIC-Insured • Not Insured By Any Federal Government Agency
Only Variable Annuity Products: • Not Guaranteed By Any Bank Or Credit Union • May Go Down In Value
Only Long-Term Care Products: • Not Issued, Guaranteed Or Underwritten By Bank Or FDIC • Not A Condition To The Provision Or Term Of Any Banking Service Or Activity
• Policy Is An Obligation Of The Issuing Insurance Company
Hispanic (Any Race)
10%
All Other Races 2%
Non-Hispanic Asian Alone
4%
Non-Hispanic Black Alone
11%
Non-Hispanic White Alone
73%
Hispanic (Any Race)
11%
All Other Races 2%
Non-Hispanic Asian Alone
5%
Non-Hispanic Black Alone
10%
Non-Hispanic White Alone
72%
2009 2030
Middle Boomer Males 14,214,527 10,242,422
Middle Boomer Females 14,874,987 12,272,045
Total: 29,089,514 22,514,467
Middle Boomers
10%
2009
6%
2030
% Below Poverty Level*
Males 7.8% Females 8.9%
Poverty Status in 2008
* People and families are classified as being in poverty if their income is less than their poverty threshold. Poverty thresholds are dollar amounts the Census Bureau uses to determine a family’s or person’s poverty status.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, Annual Social & Economic Supplement, 2009
Middle Boomers have the lowest poverty level of any Boomer segment.
3 American Generations—Who They Are and How They Live. 6th Ed. Ithaca, NY: New Strategist Publications, Inc., 2008.
MMI00126(0210) ©2010 Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, New York, NY L0210086941[exp0113]
Racial and Ethnic Composition*
2030
2009
*Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, National Population Estimates & Projections
Middle Boomers
A D
emographic Profile of A
merica’s M
iddle Boom
ersPR
OFILE
1%
0%
1%
The Middle Boomers tended to have somewhat larger families in comparison to Older Boomers, with almost three persons per family household. The increased diversity among Middle Boomers began changing the dynamics of family size
and composition, which continued throughout the rest of the Boomer generation.
Homeownership is consistently a basic goal for Americans, and Middle Boomers have achieved very high ownership rates. They are also beginning to consider the possibility of second homes and active adult retirement communities as a housing alternative as they move closer to retirement. With many of their children still living at home, they have not yet become empty nesters. But, it is looming on the horizon as they move into their sixties.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Housing and Household Economic Statistics Division
Homeownership Rates in 2008 by Family Status and Age of Householder
Married Couple Males Females Age Families Living Alone Living Alone
50–54 89.2% 56.5% 56.7%
55–59 90.9% 59.3% 64.0%
HOUSING
U.S. hostages taken in Iran
Three Mile Island nuclear accident
occurred
Assassination attempt on President
Ronald Reagan
Sandra Day O’Connor first female
Supreme Court Judge
CNN launched
U.S. broke diplomatic ties
with Iran
Michael Jackson’s Thriller
released
First artificial heart
implanted
M*A*S*H drew largest TV audience in history for a series finale
Sally Ride first woman
in space
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
signed into law
First Apple® MacIntosh® computer
went on sale
DNA proofing
developed
The Cosby Show premiered
Sony® Walkman® developed
Time magazine’s Man of the Year:
The computer
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, DataFerrett, Current Population Survey, March Supplement, 2009
11%
27%
32%
11%
18%
30%
30%
11%
Males Females
12%
18%
Males Females
32%
6%19%
18%
15%
10%
37%
17%
44%
Middle Boomer women continued to swell the workforce ranks. As they reached parity with men in college education, they
also improved their access to higher level jobs. As a result, women raised family income along with their family. Later eligibility for full Social Security benefits and recent retirement funding losses may make for a longer working career than they anticipated.
* Of those employed.Source: U.S. Census Bureau, DataFerrett, Current Population Survey, March Supplement, 2009
WORK
Occupation Group*
Production, Transportation, and Material Moving
Construction, Extraction, and Maintenance
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Sales and Office Service Management, Professional,
and Related
All Households Family Households* Non-Family Households**
1 25.5% — 87.1%
2 38.4% 49.8% 10.9%
3 17.4% 24.1% 1.3%
4 11.5% 16.0% 0.5%
5 4.4% 6.2% 0.1%
6 1.7% 2.4% 0.0%
7+ 1.1% 1.6% 0.0%
Average Size 2.4 people 2.9 people 1.2 people
Household Size by Type
** Family Household—Household maintained by a householder who is in a family (group of two people or more, one of whom is the householder, related by birth, marriage, or adoption and residing together), and includes any unrelated people (unrelated subfamily members and/or secondary individuals) who may be residing there.
** Non-Family Household—Householder living alone (a one-person household) or where the householder shares the home exclusively with people to whom he/she is not related.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, DataFerrett, Current Population Survey, March Supplement, 2009
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division, 2009
HEALTH & LONGEVITY
Life Expectancy: 2006
# Years at Age Male Female 50 28.8 32.5
55 24.7 28.0
60 20.7 23.8 Source: Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, 2009
Source: Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, Health Data Interactive
Self-Reported Health Status: 2006–2008
Ages 45–54 Male Female Excellent/ Very Good 59.8% 57.9% Good 28.0% 28.2% Fair/Poor 12.2% 13.9%
Ages 55–64 Male Female Excellent/ Very Good 52.1% 51.2% Good 29.7% 30.1% Fair/Poor 18.2% 18.7%
Self-reported health begins to decline for Middle Boomers in comparison to younger groups, fueled by increasing issues with chronic health conditions and weight gain.11 C. Russell, The Baby Boom: Americans Born
1946–1964. 6th Ed. Ithaca, NY: New StrategistPublications, Inc., 2009.
MIDDLE BOOMERS
In 1957, the peak birth year of the Baby Boom cohort, over 4.3 million children were born, adding momentum to the accelerating pace of the Boomer cohort influence.
Middle Boomers are more psychologically connected to their Boomer identity, with almost two-thirds of them accepting the term “Boomer” to describe themselves in comparison to 46% of Younger Boomers.2
2 MetLife Mature Market Institute, Boomers in the Middle, 2010.
The Beatles’ John Lennon
murdered
Males FemalesMarried 70.4% 65.9%
Widowed 1.5% 4.7%
Divorced 14.8% 17.6%
Separated 2.5% 3.1%
Never Married 10.7% 8.7%
Marital Status
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, DataFerrett, Current Population Survey, March Supplement, 2009
FAMILY
Educational Attainment
Master’s Degree or Higher Bachelor’s Degree Some College
High School Graduate Less than High School
Geographic Distribution in 2008
Middle Boomers represent more than 10% of the state population in the following seven states: Alaska, Maine, Montana, New Hampshire, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
President Richard Nixon resigned
due to Watergate scandal
People magazine debuted
MRI patented
Vietnam War
ended
Saturday Night Livepremiered
Microsoft® founded
U.S. Bicentennial celebration
First Apple® computer created
VHS recorder introduced
President Jimmy Carter
pardoned draft dodgers
Camp David
Accords
First cellular mobile phone
tested in Chicago
Star Wars premiered/ Elvis Presley
died
First space shuttle tested
First test tube baby
born
MTV®
premiered
Israeli athletes murdered at Munich
Olympic Games
1%
0%
1%
TIMELINE
Middle Boomers: Significant historic, social, and cultural events in their teen and young adult years helped shape the values and viewpoints of Middle Boomers.
The Middle Boomers tended to have somewhat larger families in comparison to Older Boomers, with almost three persons per family household. The increased diversity among Middle Boomers began changing the dynamics of family size
and composition, which continued throughout the rest of the Boomer generation.
Homeownership is consistently a basic goal for Americans, and Middle Boomers have achieved very high ownership rates. They are also beginning to consider the possibility of second homes and active adult retirement communities as a housing alternative as they move closer to retirement. With many of their children still living at home, they have not yet become empty nesters. But, it is looming on the horizon as they move into their sixties.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Housing and Household Economic Statistics Division
Homeownership Rates in 2008 by Family Status and Age of Householder
Married Couple Males Females Age Families Living Alone Living Alone
50–54 89.2% 56.5% 56.7%
55–59 90.9% 59.3% 64.0%
HOUSING
U.S. hostages taken in Iran
Three Mile Island nuclear accident
occurred
Assassination attempt on President
Ronald Reagan
Sandra Day O’Connor first female
Supreme Court Judge
CNN launched
U.S. broke diplomatic ties
with Iran
Michael Jackson’s Thriller
released
First artificial heart
implanted
M*A*S*H drew largest TV audience in history for a series finale
Sally Ride first woman
in space
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
signed into law
First Apple® MacIntosh® computer
went on sale
DNA proofing
developed
The Cosby Show premiered
Sony® Walkman® developed
Time magazine’s Man of the Year:
The computer
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, DataFerrett, Current Population Survey, March Supplement, 2009
11%
27%
32%
11%
18%
30%
30%
11%
Males Females
12%
18%
Males Females
32%
6%19%
18%
15%
10%
37%
17%
44%
Middle Boomer women continued to swell the workforce ranks. As they reached parity with men in college education, they
also improved their access to higher level jobs. As a result, women raised family income along with their family. Later eligibility for full Social Security benefits and recent retirement funding losses may make for a longer working career than they anticipated.
* Of those employed.Source: U.S. Census Bureau, DataFerrett, Current Population Survey, March Supplement, 2009
WORK
Occupation Group*
Production, Transportation, and Material Moving
Construction, Extraction, and Maintenance
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Sales and Office Service Management, Professional,
and Related
All Households Family Households* Non-Family Households**
1 25.5% — 87.1%
2 38.4% 49.8% 10.9%
3 17.4% 24.1% 1.3%
4 11.5% 16.0% 0.5%
5 4.4% 6.2% 0.1%
6 1.7% 2.4% 0.0%
7+ 1.1% 1.6% 0.0%
Average Size 2.4 people 2.9 people 1.2 people
Household Size by Type
** Family Household—Household maintained by a householder who is in a family (group of two people or more, one of whom is the householder, related by birth, marriage, or adoption and residing together), and includes any unrelated people (unrelated subfamily members and/or secondary individuals) who may be residing there.
** Non-Family Household—Householder living alone (a one-person household) or where the householder shares the home exclusively with people to whom he/she is not related.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, DataFerrett, Current Population Survey, March Supplement, 2009
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division, 2009
HEALTH & LONGEVITY
Life Expectancy: 2006
# Years at Age Male Female 50 28.8 32.5
55 24.7 28.0
60 20.7 23.8 Source: Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, 2009
Source: Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, Health Data Interactive
Self-Reported Health Status: 2006–2008
Ages 45–54 Male Female Excellent/ Very Good 59.8% 57.9% Good 28.0% 28.2% Fair/Poor 12.2% 13.9%
Ages 55–64 Male Female Excellent/ Very Good 52.1% 51.2% Good 29.7% 30.1% Fair/Poor 18.2% 18.7%
Self-reported health begins to decline for Middle Boomers in comparison to younger groups, fueled by increasing issues with chronic health conditions and weight gain.11 C. Russell, The Baby Boom: Americans Born
1946–1964. 6th Ed. Ithaca, NY: New StrategistPublications, Inc., 2009.
MIDDLE BOOMERS
In 1957, the peak birth year of the Baby Boom cohort, over 4.3 million children were born, adding momentum to the accelerating pace of the Boomer cohort influence.
Middle Boomers are more psychologically connected to their Boomer identity, with almost two-thirds of them accepting the term “Boomer” to describe themselves in comparison to 46% of Younger Boomers.2
2 MetLife Mature Market Institute, Boomers in the Middle, 2010.
The Beatles’ John Lennon
murdered
Males FemalesMarried 70.4% 65.9%
Widowed 1.5% 4.7%
Divorced 14.8% 17.6%
Separated 2.5% 3.1%
Never Married 10.7% 8.7%
Marital Status
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, DataFerrett, Current Population Survey, March Supplement, 2009
FAMILY
Educational Attainment
Master’s Degree or Higher Bachelor’s Degree Some College
High School Graduate Less than High School
Geographic Distribution in 2008
Middle Boomers represent more than 10% of the state population in the following seven states: Alaska, Maine, Montana, New Hampshire, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
1%
0%
First Earth Day
U.S. invaded Cambodia/ Kent State shootings
All in the Family premiered
Intel® introducedthe first
microprocessor
Anti-Vietnam War militants attempted
to disrupt U.S. government
President Richard Nixon
made trip to China
American troops withdrew from
Vietnam
Roe vs. Wade legalized abortion
Neil Armstrong became first human to walk on the moon
Watts race riots in Los Angeles lasted six days
Civil Rights Act passed
In Cold Blood published
Health warning placed on
cigarette packsIBM®
introduced the floppy disc
Robert Kennedy and Martin
Luther King Jr. assassinated
Thurgood Marshall became first African- American Supreme
Court Judge
First heart transplant performed
First ATM installed in U.S.
“Summer of Love” began the
Hippie movement60 Minutes
debutedSesame Street
premiered
Woodstock
music festival
Medicare bill passed
U.S. began bombing North Vietnam
National Organization for Women
formed
HBO launched
OPEC restricted oil flow to U.S./
Watergate hearings began
TIMELINE
Middle Boomers: Significant historic, social, and cultural events in their teen and young adult years helped shape the values and viewpoints of Middle Boomers.
The Middle Boomers tended to have somewhat larger families in comparison to Older Boomers, with almost three persons per family household. The increased diversity among Middle Boomers began changing the dynamics of family size
and composition, which continued throughout the rest of the Boomer generation.
Homeownership is consistently a basic goal for Americans, and Middle Boomers have achieved very high ownership rates. They are also beginning to consider the possibility of second homes and active adult retirement communities as a housing alternative as they move closer to retirement. With many of their children still living at home, they have not yet become empty nesters. But, it is looming on the horizon as they move into their sixties.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Housing and Household Economic Statistics Division
Homeownership Rates in 2008 by Family Status and Age of Householder
Married Couple Males Females Age Families Living Alone Living Alone
50–54 89.2% 56.5% 56.7%
55–59 90.9% 59.3% 64.0%
HOUSING
U.S. hostages taken in Iran
Three Mile Island nuclear accident
occurred
Assassination attempt on President
Ronald Reagan
Sandra Day O’Connor first female
Supreme Court Judge
CNN launched
U.S. broke diplomatic ties
with Iran
Michael Jackson’s Thriller
released
First artificial heart
implanted
M*A*S*H drew largest TV audience in history for a series finale
Sally Ride first woman
in space
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
signed into law
First Apple® MacIntosh® computer
went on sale
DNA proofing
developed
The Cosby Show premiered
Sony® Walkman® developed
Time magazine’s Man of the Year:
The computer
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, DataFerrett, Current Population Survey, March Supplement, 2009
11%
27%
32%
11%
18%
30%
30%
11%
Males Females
12%
18%
Males Females
32%
6%19%
18%
15%
10%
37%
17%
44%
Middle Boomer women continued to swell the workforce ranks. As they reached parity with men in college education, they
also improved their access to higher level jobs. As a result, women raised family income along with their family. Later eligibility for full Social Security benefits and recent retirement funding losses may make for a longer working career than they anticipated.
* Of those employed.Source: U.S. Census Bureau, DataFerrett, Current Population Survey, March Supplement, 2009
WORK
Occupation Group*
Production, Transportation, and Material Moving
Construction, Extraction, and Maintenance
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Sales and Office Service Management, Professional,
and Related
All Households Family Households* Non-Family Households**
1 25.5% — 87.1%
2 38.4% 49.8% 10.9%
3 17.4% 24.1% 1.3%
4 11.5% 16.0% 0.5%
5 4.4% 6.2% 0.1%
6 1.7% 2.4% 0.0%
7+ 1.1% 1.6% 0.0%
Average Size 2.4 people 2.9 people 1.2 people
Household Size by Type
** Family Household—Household maintained by a householder who is in a family (group of two people or more, one of whom is the householder, related by birth, marriage, or adoption and residing together), and includes any unrelated people (unrelated subfamily members and/or secondary individuals) who may be residing there.
** Non-Family Household—Householder living alone (a one-person household) or where the householder shares the home exclusively with people to whom he/she is not related.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, DataFerrett, Current Population Survey, March Supplement, 2009
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division, 2009
HEALTH & LONGEVITY
Life Expectancy: 2006
# Years at Age Male Female 50 28.8 32.5
55 24.7 28.0
60 20.7 23.8 Source: Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, 2009
Source: Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, Health Data Interactive
Self-Reported Health Status: 2006–2008
Ages 45–54 Male Female Excellent/ Very Good 59.8% 57.9% Good 28.0% 28.2% Fair/Poor 12.2% 13.9%
Ages 55–64 Male Female Excellent/ Very Good 52.1% 51.2% Good 29.7% 30.1% Fair/Poor 18.2% 18.7%
Self-reported health begins to decline for Middle Boomers in comparison to younger groups, fueled by increasing issues with chronic health conditions and weight gain.11 C. Russell, The Baby Boom: Americans Born
1946–1964. 6th Ed. Ithaca, NY: New StrategistPublications, Inc., 2009.
MIDDLE BOOMERS
In 1957, the peak birth year of the Baby Boom cohort, over 4.3 million children were born, adding momentum to the accelerating pace of the Boomer cohort influence.
Middle Boomers are more psychologically connected to their Boomer identity, with almost two-thirds of them accepting the term “Boomer” to describe themselves in comparison to 46% of Younger Boomers.2
2 MetLife Mature Market Institute, Boomers in the Middle, 2010.
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Males FemalesMarried 70.4% 65.9%
Widowed 1.5% 4.7%
Divorced 14.8% 17.6%
Separated 2.5% 3.1%
Never Married 10.7% 8.7%
Marital Status
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, DataFerrett, Current Population Survey, March Supplement, 2009
FAMILY
Educational Attainment
Master’s Degree or Higher Bachelor’s Degree Some College
High School Graduate Less than High School
Geographic Distribution in 2008
Middle Boomers represent more than 10% of the state population in the following seven states: Alaska, Maine, Montana, New Hampshire, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
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Middle BoomersMiddle Boomers are adults ages 51–57 years old in 2009, born between 1952 and 1958.
Total U.S. Population by 2030
› By 2030, Middle Boomers will be ages 72–78 and make up 6% of the total population.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, National Population Estimates & Projections
Total U.S. Population in 2009
› In 2009, Middle Boomers represented 10% of the total population, or about 1 in 10 people.
› 49% male› 51% female
Overview of America’s Middle Boomers in 2009This is one in a series of demographic profiles by the MetLife Mature Market Institute. The 29 million Middle Boomers define the largest demographic segment of this generation, representing about 38% of all Boomers.
Average Annual Expenditures
Ages 51–54 55–57 Food and Alcohol $8,120 $7,374 Housing $19,368 $18,870 Apparel and Services $2,206 $1,738 Transportation $10,585 $10,048 Health Care $2,901 $4,099 Entertainment $3,264 $3,253 Personal Insurance and Pensions $7,775 $7,439 Cash Contributions $2,131 $2,318 Education $1,992 $929 Miscellaneous $2,232 $2,633 Average Annual Expenditures $60,573* $58,700**Total varies due to rounding.Source: Based on MMI calculation of data from U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Expenditure Survey, 2008
This profile of America’s Middle Boomers was prepared by the MetLife Mature Market Institute. This and its many other free publications and research are available online. Check the “Research” tab at www.MatureMarketInstitute.com.
Visit: www.MatureMarketInstitute.com | E-mail: [email protected]: MetLife Mature Market Institute, 57 Greens Farms Road, Westport, CT 06880Fax: (203) 454-5339
Established in 1997, the Mature Market Institute (MMI) is MetLife’s research organization and a recognized thought leader on the multi-dimensional and multi-generational issues of aging and longevity. MMI’s groundbreaking research, gerontology expertise, national partnerships, and educational materials work to expand the knowledge and choices for those in, approaching, or caring for those in the mature market.
1952Alice Hoffman Bill WaltonBob CostasChristopher ReeveDavid ByrneJimmy ConnorsMaureen Dowd
1953Cyndi LauperHulk HoganJohn EdwardsMeredith VieiraThomas FriedmanTony Blair
1954Al Sharpton Condoleezza RiceDenzel WashingtonElvis CostelloHoward SternJerry SeinfeldJohn TravoltaOprah Winfrey Ron Howard
1955Bill Gates John GrishamKelsey GrammerKevin CostnerMaria ShriverSteve JobsWhoopi Goldberg
1956Bo DerekDorothy HamillJoe MontanaLarry BirdMel Gibson Paula ZahnSteve BallmerTom Hanks 1957Cindy SheehanDaniel Day-LewisDonnie Osmond Katherine HarrisKatie CouricMatt LauerNancy LopezSpike Lee
1958Alec BaldwinAndrea BocelliChristiane AmanpourEllen DeGeneresKevin Bacon MadonnaMichael JacksonScott HamiltonWade Boggs
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Key Birth Years of Middle Boomers
FINANCES
Household Income in 2008 by Household Type
Mean Median Mean MedianMarried Couple Families $108,910 $86,657 $103,825 $83,450
Male Householders Living Alone $45,577 $32,658 $47,429 $31,427
Female Householders Living Alone $39,976 $30,687 $39,685 $30,336
Overall Male Householders $50,253 $38,750 $53,505 $33,654
Overall Female Householders $43,726 $33,980 $42,817 $31,426
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, Annual Social & Economic Supplement, 2009
Ages 50–54 Ages 55–59
With very high employment rates and low poverty rates, the Middle Boomers are still in their prime earning years. Middle Boomers fared pretty well in the 1990s, as their household income increased by about 20% during that decade. They still have among the highest average household incomes, driven by the large percentage of two-earner households in this age group.3
Their next challenge though will be funding a longer life and retirement as they enter their pre-retirement years. The recent economic turbulence has had an unnerving impact on their overall finances, as it has for other Americans from all generations.
As the Middle Boomers—the largest sub-segment of the Boomer cohort—moved into their
formative teen and early adult years, realities often dampened the dreams of a high-flying future.
In 1966, they were introduced to the potential to venture beyond their own world with
the premiere of the television space adventure “Star Trek,” followed by lunar explorations
with real astronauts. But by 1978, the SkyLab space station was crashing back to earth and
“stagflation” entered the dictionary euphemistically signaling a new form of economic
decline as well. While many of them were old enough to have participated in the social
change of the 1960s, many Middle Boomers were also just young enough to have watched
from the sidelines.
The economic and social world they entered as adults in their twenties was quite different
than that of their slightly older siblings, providing them with a world view less driven by
exuberance and more by a new sense of an emerging, more sober reality. They were also in
a better position just a few decades later, however, to take advantage of relative stability and
economic growth.
Middle Boomers—Caught In Between America’sMIDDLEBOOMERS
DEMOgRAphIc pROfILE
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Hispanic (Any Race)
10%
All Other Races 2%
Non-Hispanic Asian Alone
4%
Non-Hispanic Black Alone
11%
Non-Hispanic White Alone
73%
Hispanic (Any Race)
11%
All Other Races 2%
Non-Hispanic Asian Alone
5%
Non-Hispanic Black Alone
10%
Non-Hispanic White Alone
72%
2009 2030
Middle Boomer Males 14,214,527 10,242,422
Middle Boomer Females 14,874,987 12,272,045
Total: 29,089,514 22,514,467
Middle Boomers
10%
2009
6%
2030
% Below Poverty Level*
Males 7.8% Females 8.9%
Poverty Status in 2008
* People and families are classified as being in poverty if their income is less than their poverty threshold. Poverty thresholds are dollar amounts the Census Bureau uses to determine a family’s or person’s poverty status.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, Annual Social & Economic Supplement, 2009
Middle Boomers have the lowest poverty level of any Boomer segment.
3 American Generations—Who They Are and How They Live. 6th Ed. Ithaca, NY: New Strategist Publications, Inc., 2008.
MMI00126(0210) ©2010 Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, New York, NY L0210086941[exp0113]
Racial and Ethnic Composition*
2030
2009
*Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, National Population Estimates & Projections
Middle Boomers
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