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122 Unit 2 Population and Migration%u00a0Patterns and%u00a0Processesin reshaping the lifestyles, social norms, and societal concerns of the United States. Many Baby Boomers own their homes and have accumulated considerable assets, giving them a great amount of economic clout. The decisions that Baby Boomers make regarding how they live (e.g., renting or owning a home), work (staying in the workforce or retiring), and play (choosing leisure activities and vacation destinations) have a significant and continuing impact on U.S. culture and the U.S. economy.Generation XThe members of Generation X were born between 1965 and 1980 and are now in their prime working years. Gen Xers, as they are commonly called, came of age in an environment that is more tolerant of religious, cultural, and ethnic differences. There were more than 65 million Gen Xers in the United States in 2022, and according to the Pew Research Center, they will outnumber Baby Boomers in 2028.The Millennials (Generation Y)Those who were born between 1981 and 1996 are called millennials (sometimes also called Generation Y) (Figure 8.4). This cohort%u2019s 72 million members make it the largest generation in the United States; it is also more diverse than older generations. As a group, the millennials are better educated than any generation before them, but they have also been hobbled by financial crises, including the Great Recession of 2007%u20132009. generally value stable families, so they rarely divorce. This generation also fought in the Korean War in the early 1950s, played a leadership role in the civil rights movement in the 1960s, and helped to shape the pop culture in the twentieth century.The Baby Boomer GenerationThe Baby Boomers were born between 1946 and 1964 during the dramatic post%u2013World War II uptick in the U.S. birth rate (Figure 8.3). The end of war and economic prosperity encouraged people to have more children, which gave rise to the %u201cbaby boom.%u201d In 2023, the youngest members of this generation were 59 years old and the oldest were in their late 70s, so many of the Baby Boomers have already retired or are on their way out of the workforce.The Baby Boomers have attracted much scholarly and media attention for several reasons. First, the number of Boomers is huge, estimated at 69 million people in 2022. Second, the Boomers played an important role Live births (millions)2.02.53.03.54.04.51.51.00.51910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2016 20220Figure 8.3 The baby boom in the United States. What are some other baby booms the%u00a0United States has experienced since the 1960s, and what might be the reasons for%u00a0them?TERMS TO KNOWBaby Boomers: People born from 1946 to 1964 during the post%u2013World War II uptick in birth rateGeneration X: People born between 1965 and 1980 and who are now in their prime working yearsMillennials: People who were born between 1981 and 1996%u00a9 Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers. For review purposes only. Do not distribute.