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The “Baby Boomers”, the generation born between 1946 and 1964, have turned 60 years old. Among the Americans celebrating their 60th are our two most recent presidents, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton. Other well-known celebrities reaching this milestone include Cher, Donald Trump and Sylvester Stallone.
To commemorate this occasion, the Census Bureau has compiled a collection of facts relating to, perhaps, our most celebrated generation.
78.2 million – Estimated number of baby boomers, as of July 1, 2005.
7,918 – Number of people turning 60 each day in 2006, according to projections. That amounts to 330 every hour.
James & Mary – The most popular baby names for boys and girls, respectively, in 1946. Today, the names Jacob and Emily lead the list; James ranks 17th among boys and Mary is 63rd among girls.
50.8% – Percentage of women baby boomers in 2005.
Then and Now
141 million – Estimated U.S. population in 1946. Today, the nation’s population stands at about 298 million.
33% and 5% – The proportions of adults age 25 and older with at least a high school diploma and at least a bachelor’s degree. respectively, in 1947. By 2004, the respective proportions had risen to 85 percent and 28 percent.
The Future
$2,695 – Average annual expenditures on health care in 2004 for people ages 45 to 54 – the age group that is the heart of the baby boom generation. When budgeting medical expenses, baby boomers should expect increased health-care spending as they age; for instance, those age 55 to 64 spent $3,262 and those 65 and over, $3,899.
57.8 million – Number of baby boomers living in 2030, according to projections; 54.9 percent would be female. That year, boomers would be between ages 66 and 84.
2.1 – The number of workers for each Social Security beneficiary in 2031, when all baby boomers will be over age 65. Currently, there are 3.3 workers for each Social Security beneficiary.
4,041 – Number of continuing care retirement facilities in 2003. Many boomers could have parents in need of such facilities or may have to move into such a facility themselves in the future.
Staying Young and Fit
27,813 – Number of fitness and recreation centers nationwide in 2003. These are good places to visit on a regular basis for boomers who are trying to become or stay physically fit.
11,938 – Number of cosmetics, beauty supply and perfume stores in 2003. These stores carry numerous anti-aging skin care products aimed at people in this age group.
“Special Editions” of the U.S. Census Bureau’s Facts for Features are issued to provide background information for less known observances, anniversaries of historic events and other timely topics in the news. The preceding data were collected from a variety of sources and may be subject to sampling variability and other sources of error.