What years are baby boomers? Here's how old this generation is in 2024.
"Ok, boomer."
RedBubble sells stickers with the saying and Etsy touts hats and shirts. There's even a song with the same title. Gen Z's snaps at older generations, particularly Millennials and baby boomers, mark what The New York Times called "the end of friendly generational relations."
Starting out with a fertility "boom," baby boomers have lived through a slew of wars, movements and a rapidly changing society. Here's everything you need to know about the years spanning the baby boomer generation.
What years are baby boomers?
The baby boomer generation refers to those born between 1946 and 1964.
Appropriately named, the "baby boom" occurred after World War II and is marked by a period of increased births larger and longer than generations before it. According to the United States Census Bureau, there was also a spike in births following World War I but only for two years. Baby boomers were born during an 18-year period of elevated births.
The beginning of the baby boomer generation was defined by America's need to accommodate growing families and the spike in suburbia. The baby boomer generation also grew up in the backdrop of the Civil Rights Movement, the Cold War, the Vietnam War, the moon landing and LGBTQ liberation movements.
Boomers currently have the most seats in Congress of any generation, representing 45% of the House and 66% of the Senate, according to Pew Research Center. The median age of U.S. Senate members is a record-high 65.3 years. Younger generations have taken up an increasing share of Congress in recent years as Gen Z ages into political eligibility and advocates for younger representation.
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How old are baby boomers?
In 2024, baby boomers are celebrating birthdays between the ages of 60 and 78.
They are just below the silent generation, born between 1928 and 1945, who are between 79 and 96 years old in 2024.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Baby boomer years: When this generation was born and age in 2024.
