Met Life middle-boomer-demographic-profile

6
Middle Boomers Middle 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 2009 is is one in a series of demographic profiles by the MetLife Mature Market Institute. e 29 million Middle Boomers define the largest demographic segment of this generation, representing about 38% of all Boomers. America’s MIDDLE BOOMERS DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE 6% 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 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 Demographic Profile of America’s Middle Boomers PROFILE

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Met Life middle-boomer-demographic-profile

Transcript of Met Life middle-boomer-demographic-profile

Page 1: Met Life middle-boomer-demographic-profile

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

Page 2: Met Life middle-boomer-demographic-profile

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

Page 3: Met Life middle-boomer-demographic-profile

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

Page 4: Met Life middle-boomer-demographic-profile

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.

Page 5: Met Life middle-boomer-demographic-profile

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.

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.

Israeli athletes murdered at Munich

Olympic Games

Page 6: Met Life middle-boomer-demographic-profile

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

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• 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

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