Baby Boomer Generation

What is the Baby Boomer generation? If you were born 1946 – 1964, you are a Baby Boomer. I was born in 1955, right plunk in the middle!

As World War II ended, the war veterans got married, had families, and started this huge Boomer generation!

Generally, the baby boomer generation is recently retired or considering retirement... and yes, we are already there!

Who is a Baby Boomer?

Met Life breaks down boomers into three categories, and which makes sense, as all folks born over an 18-year period can't possibly all share the same Boomer views and characteristics. Right?

The first boomers born in the 40s, are somewhat different from those born in the early 50s, more different from those in the later 50s, but very different from those born in the early 60s... Let's explore this a bit.

Just reading some Boomer names towards the bottom of this pages proves how different Boomers can be -- from Captain Kangaroo to Captain Kirk!

The categories are:

Younger Baby Boomers: born between 1959 to 1964

Middle Baby Boomers: born between 1952 to 1958

Older Baby Boomers: born between 1946 and 1951

Click to read more about any of the boomer groups!

Boomer Boomer Generation Demographics

• Seventy-six million children were born between 1945 and 1964 in the U.S. Boomers represent 26% of the U.S. population
• There are more U.S. Boomers than the total population of Canada (Wikipedia: 2010 Canadian population - 34,349,200)
• Boomers control over 80% of financial assets and more than 50% of discretionary spending power in 2011.

Baby Boomer Retirements

First some Baby Boomer Retirement Statistics here. Boomers are reaching retirement age in record numbers!

There is a great documentary from Tom Brokaw on baby boomers and retirement called BOOMERS: The Story of History's Wealthiest and Most Influential Generation, (CNBC).

More on baby boomers retiring here.

Baby Boomers are Optimistic!

We pursued our dreams and tried to fix the world with our enthusiastic ideas.

Boomers are Competitive too!

Just think, with 76 million boomers born and competing for the same jobs and opportunities in life, we are bound to be competitive.

Boomers are often called the "Me Generation"

We were so lucky to be able to focus on ourselves more than previous generations. We learned, we challenged the status quo. The world has changed dramatically through boomer technology and more!

Baby Boomer Generation Influences

• Martin Luther King Jr
• John F. Kennedy
• Rosa Parks
• Gloria Steinham
• Barbra Streisand
• John Belushi
• Janis Joplin
• The Beatles
• The Stones
• The Osmonds
• Kingston Trio
• Captain Kangaroo
• Captain Kirk
• Beaver Cleaver

Just look at those names... we went from the Leave it to Beaver family to John Belushi and the Stones. Unlike previous generations, we went from one extreme (the perfect family) to another (flower power at Woodstock and rock 'n roll).

Boomer Places in our Memories

Watergate Hotel, Hanoi Hilton, Kent State and Woodstock

Boomer Things

Bell Bottoms, peace signs, mood rings, junk food, McDonalds...

Television was huge to Boomers - tv sets in homes increased from 4 million in 1952 to 50 million in 1960! We could SEE events unfolding on the tv screen, unlike our parents generation - Vietnam, Watergate, womens's rights,

Check out this list from the Baby Boomer years! Great memories!!

My two cents from a 1987 boomer movie: Baby Boom. Pretty good movie!

More on Baby Boomers: Baby Boomer Generation - Baby Boomer Demographics - Baby Boomers and Retirement - Baby Boomer Retirement Statistics - Younger Baby Boomers - Middle Baby Boomers - Older Baby Boomers - Baby Boomer Years