📈 From Baby Boomers to Millennials: Trends in the 25–34 vs. 55+ Worker Segments

From the mid-1960s to the 1990s, the share of U.S. workers aged 25–34 rose from 19% to 30% as the baby boom generation entered the workforce. Since the 2000s, this share has averaged around 22%. In terms of numbers, workers in this age group increased from approximately 14 million in the mid-1960s to 34 million by 1990. After a decline to about 30 million in 2009, their numbers rebounded to 36 million in the 2010s.

Conversely, the share of U.S. workers aged 55 and older fell from 18% in the 1960s to 12% by the mid-1990s, as younger baby boomers entered the workforce. However, this share has since rebounded, reaching 23% by 2024. The number of workers aged 55+ grew from around 15 million during the 1970s–mid-1990s to 38 million by Q3 2024, highlighting a substantial shift in workforce demographics.