{"id":184299,"date":"2026-02-19T08:17:39","date_gmt":"2026-02-19T08:17:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/184299\/"},"modified":"2026-02-19T08:17:39","modified_gmt":"2026-02-19T08:17:39","slug":"data-highlight-how-do-the-generations-play-out-in-se-michigan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/184299\/","title":{"rendered":"Data Highlight: How do the Generations Play Out in SE Michigan?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Data Highlight: How do the Generations Play Out in SE Michigan?<\/p>\n

(Kurt Metzger, Feb. 18, 2026)<\/p>\n

Michigan \u2013\u00a0Defining \u201cgenerations\u201d 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.<\/p>\n

One can find disagreements and complaints over date ranges, generation names, and the over-generalized \u201cpersonality\u201d 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.<\/p>\n

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 \u2018population share by generation.\u2019\u00a0 Since the most recent \u2018single year of age data\u2019 is for 2024, and the chart is for 2025, I adjusted the visual\u2019s years down one and computed shares. The result is the accompanying bar chart.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\"\"Gen Alpha \u2013 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\u2019s Gen Alpha accounting for 2.5 percentage points more than Oakland, and 2.2 percentage points more than Macomb.<\/p>\n

Gen Z \u2013 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 \u2013 1.7 percentage points higher than Oakland and 1.4 higher than Macomb.<\/p>\n

Millennials \u2013 Millennials are the largest generation in both Oakland and Wayne counties, while Baby Boomers outnumber them slightly in Macomb.<\/p>\n

Gen X \u2013 Oakland and Macomb counties share 20.5 percent shares, while Wayne County\u2019s younger population results in a smaller, 19.2 percent share.<\/p>\n

Baby Boomers \u2013 Oakland County\u2019s share of 21.3 percent is similar to that of Macomb (21.4%), with Wayne, once again, on the low end (19.5%).<\/p>\n

Silent Generation \u2013 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.<\/p>\n

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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 \u2013 Alpha, Z, and millennials \u2013 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.<\/p>\n

While I love Baby Boomers \u2013 being one all my life \u2013 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?<\/p>\n

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

Data Shows Latest in Oakland County\u2019s Births and Deaths<\/a><\/p>\n

Number of Births Decline in Oakland County, While Age of Women Giving Birth Increases<\/a><\/p>\n

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Data: Oakland County\u2019s Asian Population on the Rise<\/a><\/p>\n

Michigan\u2019s Population Continues to Age Faster than the Nation<\/a><\/p>\n

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Latest Data: Births and Deaths in Oakland County, Statewide<\/a><\/p>\n

Top Baby Names for 2024 Announced, With Popular Names Carrying On<\/a><\/p>\n

Oakland County Population Experiences Largest Year-to-Year Growth in Decades, Driven by Immigration<\/a><\/p>\n

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Divorce Trends in Oakland County and Across the Country<\/a><\/p>\n

Census Estimates Show Changing Age and Racial Demographics in Oakland County<\/a><\/p>\n

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