Data Highlight: How do the Generations Play Out in SE Michigan?

(Kurt Metzger, Feb. 18, 2026)

Michigan – Defining “generations” is not an exact science. The breakdowns are subjective and the traits of each cohort are generalized. For the most part, date ranges for generations are based around common economic, social, or political factors that happened during formative years.

One can find disagreements and complaints over date ranges, generation names, and the over-generalized “personality” of each generation. However, marketers and journalists do sometimes find these groupings useful in targeting their marketing to specific age groups. It seems that any article that discusses political, social or economic trends these days looks at these trends in terms of how they play out for various generations.

I came across this visual of the generations (see below) and decided to see how our three southeast Michigan counties compare to one another in terms of ‘population share by generation.’ Since the most recent ‘single year of age data’ is for 2024, and the chart is for 2025, I adjusted the visual’s years down one and computed shares. The result is the accompanying bar chart.

Since I am writing this for the Oakland County Times publication, my findings will be written from the perspective of Oakland County. So here we go.

Gen Alpha – An aging, highly-educated population, driving lower births in recent years, has resulted in Oakland County having the lowest share of Generation Alpha. A younger, less educated, and more diverse population has resulted in Wayne County’s Gen Alpha accounting for 2.5 percentage points more than Oakland, and 2.2 percentage points more than Macomb.

Gen Z – Oakland County also trails Wayne and Macomb in its share of Generation Z. While the gaps are not as large as with Alpha, Wayne still has largest representation – 1.7 percentage points higher than Oakland and 1.4 higher than Macomb.

Millennials – Millennials are the largest generation in both Oakland and Wayne counties, while Baby Boomers outnumber them slightly in Macomb.

Gen X – Oakland and Macomb counties share 20.5 percent shares, while Wayne County’s younger population results in a smaller, 19.2 percent share.

Baby Boomers – Oakland County’s share of 21.3 percent is similar to that of Macomb (21.4%), with Wayne, once again, on the low end (19.5%).

Silent Generation – By far the smallest of the generations, the population that was 79 years and over in 2024 accounted for just under 5 percent across the board.

While I have often written about Michigan aging faster than the nation, I think this illustration tells that story best. It is clear from the chart that the three younger generations – Alpha, Z, and millennials – have lower representation in Michigan. Nowhere is this a bigger issue than for Millennials, where Michigan trails the United States by 1.2 percentage points. While shares for Gen X and the Silent Generation are almost equivalent, Baby Boomers account for a share that is 1.9 percentage points higher than the national average.

While I love Baby Boomers – being one all my life – I am looking to Millennials and Gen Z to move us forward. How can Michigan become a place that younger generations want to call home?

For more stories about the Census and other interesting numbers, visit the Data-Based Stories Archives on Oakland County Times. Thanks to Data Expert Kurt Metzger for this work!

Data Shows Latest in Oakland County’s Births and Deaths

Number of Births Decline in Oakland County, While Age of Women Giving Birth Increases

Data: Oakland County’s Asian Population on the Rise

Michigan’s Population Continues to Age Faster than the Nation