1. Education -- Highlights -- Big gains in educational attainment -- Generation X is the best educated -- Most Generation Xers have been to college -- Nearly 30 percent of Generation X men are college graduates -- Generation X women are better educated than Gen X men -- Among Gen Xers, Asian men have the highest educational attainment -- Hispanic women are least likely to be high school graduates -- Many Gen Xers are still in school -- Gen Xers dominate graduate schools -- Many participate in adult education for job-related reasons -- 2. Health -- Highlights -- Most young adults say their health is excellent or very good -- Weight problems are the norm, even among younger adults -- Americans report on their sexual behavior -- Birth rate is falling among women under age 30 -- Most women aged 25 to 29 have borne children -- Generation X dominates births -- Many generation X mothers are not married -- Caesarean deliveries are common among women of all ages -- Many younger adults smoke cigarettes -- Most generation Xers have used illicit drugs -- One in four generation Xers has no health insurance -- Health problems are few in the 18-to-44 age group -- Prescription drug use is increasing -- Adults aged 25 to 44 account for more than one in five physician visits -- Most deaths of younger adults are preventable -- 3. Housing -- Highlights -- Homeownership increased among Gen Xers -- Homeownership rises with age -- Married couples are likely to be homeowners -- Most Black and Hispanics are not homeowners -- Most Americans live in single-family homes -- Generation Xers are most likely to live in new homes -- Housing costs are high for Generation Xers -- Many young adults own high-value homes -- Generation Xers are on the move -- 4. Income -- Highlights -- The household incomes of Generation Xers have declined -- Household income rises with age -- Incomes are highest for Asian households -- Couples have the highest incomes -- The incomes of men aged 35 to 44 are below 1990 levels -- Men's income rises above average in the 30-to-34 age group -- Women's incomes do not rise much with age -- Earnings rise with education -- Wage and salary income is most important for Generation Xers -- The poverty rate is below average for Generation Xers -- 5. Labor force -- Highlights -- Fewer Gen Xers are working -- More than 80 percent of Generation Xers are in the labor force -- Asians are least likely to be unemployed -- Labor force participation of Gen X women varies by race and ethnicity -- Most Generation X couples are dual earners -- Generation Xers are overrepresented in technical jobs -- Few generation Xers work part-time -- Self-employment is uncommon among Gen Xers -- Job tenure has changed little for men aged 25 to 44 -- Some Generation Xers have alternative work arrangements -- Many workers have flexible schedules -- Few Gen Xers work for minimum wage -- Few 25-to-44-year-olds are represented by unions -- Number of workers aged 35 to 49 will decline -- 6. Living arrangements -- Highlights -- Married couples become the norm among 30-to-34-year-olds -- Hispanics and Blacks head many Generation X households -- Asian Generation Xers are in transition -- Female-headed families are common among Generation X Blacks -- Married life is popular among Hispanic Generation Xers -- Many non-Hispanic white Generation Xers live alone -- Generation X households are growing -- The majority of Generations Xers have children at home -- Hispanic Generation Xers are most likely to have children -- Many households headed by Generation Xers include preschoolers -- Two-child families are most common -- Most female-headed families include children -- The living arrangements of Generation Xers are changing -- Generation Xers are at the age of marriage -- Black Generation Xers are least likely to be married -- 7. Population -- Highlights -- Generation X is sandwiched between larger generations -- Generation X is more diverse than average -- Nearly one in five Generation Xers is foreign-born -- Many recently immigrants are Generation Xers -- Many Americans do not speak English at home -- The largest share of Generation Xers live in the South -- 8. Spending -- Highlights -- Spending is unchanged for households aged 25 to 34 -- Householders aged 25 to 34 are average spenders -- Householders aged 35 to 44 spend more than average -- 9. Time use -- Highlights -- Americans spend more time in leisure than at work -- Most Americans get more than eight hours of sleep -- Women aged 25 to 34 spend the most time caring for household children -- Women still do the housework -- Television takes up time -- Many parents and adult children live near one another -- More than two-thirds of Americans are online -- Voting has decreased among all but the oldest Americans -- Young adults dominate some religious groups -- More than one in four volunteer -- Vietnam veterans outnumber others -- The young are most likely to be crime victims -- Movies lure most people out of their home -- 10. Wealth -- Highlights -- Net worth fell for Generation Xers -- Fewer Generation Xers own stock -- The nonfinancial assets of Generation Xers have grown -- Debt increased for Generation Xers -- Fewer than half of Generation Xers have a retirement plan -- Glossary.
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