Census: Population shifting generationally (and Gen-X likes Illinois)

Data from the U.S. Census Bureau released today indicate that the nation’a population as a whole continues to become more racially diverse, as minority populations continue to grow at higher rates compared to the majority. At the same time, younger generations have become a larger demographic than older groups, with millennials now outnumbering baby boomers 83.1 million to 75.4 million. In the case of generational change, Illinois ranks roughly in the middle when it comes to those two groups, however, among the group known as “Generation X,” Illinois is one of the top ten states this group (which came of age during the Chicago-centric John Hughes film era) calls home. Use this map to see which states are home to these three generations.

Definitions:

• “Millennials” refers to Americans who were ages 12-32 in 2014 (Census).
• “Generation X” refers to Americans who were ages 34-49 in 2014 (Pew).
• “Baby Boomers” refers to people who were ages 50-68 in 2014 (Census).