Catalina Espinosa
Research expert covering society, economy, and politics for Europe and the EU
Generation Z in the United States - statistics & facts
Generation Z, also known as Zoomers or post-millennials, now make up around one in five Americans. While there is no official year range, Gen Zers have generally been defined as those who were born between 1997 and 2012. This generation, following millennials, has been raised on the internet and social media and lived within an era of social conflicts such as school shootings, protests over police brutality, economic turmoil, and the coronavirus pandemic. With a higher high school graduation rate and a greater number of racial or ethnic minorities than other generations before them, Gen Z consists of a diverse generation with distinct expectations for the world in which they live.
Increasingly educated, increasingly stressed
Gen Zers have higher college enrollment numbers when looking at Millennials and Gen Xers at a comparable age. However, despite achieving higher levels of education, Gen Zers remain concerned about their finances as well as about how well their education has prepared them for the workforce. Gen Z has therefore been vocal about their need to prioritize mental health, with over 60 percent of Gen Zers believing that mental health and personal well-being is very important to them. Facing increased stress from taking out student loans and acquiring debt, Gen Z employees in the U.S. are more likely to seek a healthy working environment with a decent salary. As they are entering a workforce at a time of historically low unemployment after the coronavirus pandemic, Gen Z employees are also willing to walk away from a job due to an unsatisfactory salary or a lack of work-life balance.Progressive and pro-government
As Gen Zers age into the world of politics, it has become clear that this generation represents a change from older demographics. Compared to past generations, Gen Zers are less likely to be religious and less likely to be proud to live in the United States. Less than half of Gen Zers have said that they trust the police or the U.S. government. As a result, Gen Z places a high value on the importance of improving social issues within the U.S., such as reducing gun violence, protecting the environment, and guaranteeing a quality education for children.
