From skinny jeans to silly mustaches, Millennials had a big impact on culture. While they’re no longer culture-defining youths, Millennials are now a major part of the workforce, and many of them are parents raising Generation Alpha. These facts will explore what makes Millennials and define key moments and facts that define a generation. Let’s see how much you know about this quirky generation that grew up sandwiched between the Internet-free childhood and a social media-influenced adolescence. Forget what you think you know about Millennials, here are the facts.
10 Millennial Facts
1. Millennials were born between 1981 and 1996. (Source)
The term rose up to describe the cohort of high schoolers who would graduate in 2000. Some people mistakenly call any young person a Millennial, but today’s oldest Millennials are over 40 years old.
2. Millennials are significantly less likely to own their own home. (Source)
Millennials faced unique challenges like the Great Recession after they graduated from college, the housing bubble bursting, and then COVID-19 skyrocketing real estate prices. Many Millennials are happy to rent, though, and say they would rather travel than buy a home.
3. Millennials love to shop, especially for clothing. (Source)
58% of Millennials say they love to go shopping, and they spend 8% on apparel than other generations. Despite being a social-media-savvy generation, Millennials like to shop in person. 81% of their spending occurs in brick-and-mortar stores.
4. Millennials are the most confident in their ability to use AI tools. (Source)
90% of Millennials reported that they are comfortable using AI at work. This is a huge majority and a higher statistic than older and younger generations in the workforce.
5. Millennials are starting families later than other generations. (Source)
Compared with previous generations, fewer Millennials are married, and fewer have children. In general, Millennials marry later in life, a trend that seems to be growing with each generation.
6. Millennials are defined by their experiences. (Source)
42% of Millennials believed that their experiences are the best reflections of their personality, compared to 25% who believe it’s the company they keep, and 18% believing it’s what they wear and own.
7. Nearly all Millennials use the Internet. (Source)
19% say they use the Internet only on their smartphone, and 86% use social media. Millennials are highly likely to engage with businesses on social media.
8. Millennials are known for being big fans of Taylor Swift. (Source)
As a famous Millennial herself, Taylor Swift had a big impact on a generation who grew up alongside her, relating her lyrics to their lives.
9. Millennials are highly educated. (Source)
63% of them have a bachelor’s degree. Unfortunately, this highly educated status has come with a load of student loans that many Millennials say hold them back from their financial goals.
10. Millennials value balance, fulfillment, and authenticity. (Source)
They don’t necessarily define success through material wealth or promotion milestones. They are driven to find meaningful work and to carve out a place of value in an organization.
Featured image photo credit: Karolina Grabowska
