When was generation x born

Economy Economics. Table of Contents Expand. Understanding Generation X. Gen X vs. Boomers and Millennials. Gen X's Financial Situation. Retirement Savings. Effects of Market Timing on Gen X. Other Challenges Faced by Gen X. Reinventing Retirement for Gen X. Financial Planning for Gen X. Key Takeaways Generation X, or Gen X, refers to the generation of Americans born between the mids and the earlys.

Gen Xers, which fall between baby boomers and millennials, number around 65 million. Members of this group are approaching the middle of their working careers and potential peak-earning years. The generation is on track to become the first generation to be worse off in terms of being prepared for retirement than their parents.

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This compensation may impact how and where listings appear. Investopedia does not include all offers available in the marketplace. Related Terms Generation Gap: What You Should Know A generation gap is the differences in actions, beliefs, and tastes of members of younger generations versus older ones. Baby Boomer A baby boomer is a person who was born between and and belongs to a generational group that has had a significant impact on the economy.

Census [ PDF ] actually defines them as the generation of people born between and Now, the Pew Research Center is looking to give more structure to these generational nicknames with a new set of guidelines that establishes where each person belongs depending on their birth year.

But common generalisations — for example, that baby boomers are hoarding housing, while millennials have no hope of buying a home — can distort or mask the inequalities that exist within and across generations.

Read more: Generation rent is a myth — housing prospects for millennials are determined by class. Popular labels are applied to the generations currently living.

The label reflected the counterculture of a rebellious generation, distrustful of the establishment and keen to find their own voice. The cohort known as millennials — originally Generation Y — were identified by American authors William Strauss and Neil Howe as those graduating high school in the year With the popular focus on the millennium at the time, the name stuck.

Although the birth date of this cohort can start from as early as the late s, by some accounts, it generally ranges from the early s to the mids or early s. Social and political conflict between generations often boils down to the seemingly unfair consumption of resources by the old. The term Generation X has been used in a couple earlier ways, but the primary use of the term now is used to define the generation following the Baby Boomers.

This date range may vary depending on the institution, but what is agreed is that Gen X was born during a unique time in history. Their childhood was defined by many things, such as space exploration, great tension between the United States and the Soviet Union, and the development of the modern computer. While the fall of the Berlin Wall was a historic moment in the lives of all generations who witnessed it, it was especially poignant for Gen X.

Generation X was born in a time marked by deep tension between the United States and the Soviet Union. Similar to how Millennials grew up with smart phones but remember a time without them, Gen X grew up with the very first personal computers. Though computers were invented before the Gen X generation, the technology was mainly used by large companies or governments. During their youth, Gen Xers witnessed the first use of personal home computers.

Though personal computers are commonplace now, their use was revolutionary back then!