Generation Benchmarks
Baby Boomers — How Do You Compare?
Born 1946-1964. The generation that reshaped every institution it touched — and now faces the reckoning of retirement, health, and legacy.
Baby Boomers are the wealthiest generation in history by total assets — but that headline hides enormous inequality within the cohort. At 60-78 years old, Boomers face a convergence of health decisions, retirement math, and the question of how the next 20-30 years will look. Here's where the data stands.
Am I saving enough for retirement?
Boomers hold 52% of U.S. wealth — but median retirement savings is only $202,000 (Vanguard 2023)
💰 Money — Check your percentile →Is my net worth normal?
Median Boomer net worth: $290,000 — dragged up by the top 20% who own most assets
💰 Money — Check your percentile →Is my blood pressure normal?
58% of Boomers have hypertension — the #1 risk factor for stroke and heart disease
❤️ Health — Check your percentile →Is my cholesterol normal?
Statin use among Boomers: 40% — the most medicated generation for cardiovascular risk
❤️ Health — Check your percentile →Do I sleep enough?
Boomers actually sleep better than younger generations — 7.1 hours average with fewer disruptions
❤️ Health — Check your percentile →Is my heart rate normal?
Resting heart rate above 80 at 60+ doubles cardiovascular mortality risk
❤️ Health — Check your percentile →Do I exercise enough?
Only 23% of Boomers meet recommended exercise guidelines — but those who do outlive peers by 7+ years
🌟 Lifestyle — Check your percentile →Do I have enough close friends?
Boomers average 2 close friends at 65 — down from 5 at age 40. Social isolation rivals smoking for health risk.
💑 Relationships — Check your percentile →Am I behind on getting therapy?
Boomer therapy adoption grew 35% since 2020 — breaking generational stigma around mental health
🧠 Mental Health — Check your percentile →Am I more stressed than average?
Boomers report the lowest stress of any generation (APA) — the U-curve of happiness pays off after 55
🧠 Mental Health — Check your percentile →Is my relationship healthy?
Boomers have the highest marriage rate (67%) but also drove the 1980s divorce revolution
💑 Relationships — Check your percentile →Am I on my phone too much?
Boomers average 4.5 hours/day — lowest of any generation but rising fast with streaming adoption
🌟 Lifestyle — Check your percentile →The Wealth Paradox
Baby Boomers hold 52% of all U.S. household wealth — approximately $78.3 trillion (Federal Reserve, 2024). But this headline obscures a brutal internal divide. The top 10% of Boomers hold 75% of that wealth. The median Boomer household has a net worth of roughly $290,000 — enough for about 10-12 years of modest retirement if Social Security stays intact. The bottom 25% of Boomers have less than $50,000 in total assets.
The homeownership advantage is real but fading: Boomers bought homes at median prices of $80,000-$120,000 in the 1980s-90s (inflation-adjusted: $180,000-$270,000). Those homes are now worth $350,000+. But 19% of Boomers still carry a mortgage into retirement, and 30% have no retirement savings beyond Social Security.
Health at the Decision Point
Ages 60-78 represent the window where health decisions compound most dramatically. The data is mixed: Boomers have lower smoking rates than their parents (15% vs 40% for the Silent Generation), but higher obesity rates (35% vs 22%). They're the most medicated generation in history — 40% take statins, 30% take blood pressure medication, 15% take antidepressants.
The exercise gap is the clearest predictor of outcome divergence: Boomers who exercise 150+ minutes per week have a mortality rate 50% lower than sedentary peers (JAMA, 2023). Yet only 23% meet that threshold. The good news: it's never too late — people who start exercising at 60 still gain 3-5 years of life expectancy.
The Loneliness Cliff
Social isolation is the sleeper crisis for Boomers. The average Boomer has 2 close friends at 65, down from 5 at age 40 (Survey Center on American Life). Retirement eliminates workplace social connections. Adult children move away. Spouses die. The U.S. Surgeon General declared loneliness a public health epidemic in 2023, noting that social isolation increases mortality risk by 29% — equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes per day.
There's a gender split: Boomer men are significantly more likely to rely on their spouse as their sole social connection. After divorce or widowhood, men's social networks often collapse entirely. Boomer women maintain broader friend networks but face higher rates of caregiver burnout from caring for aging parents and grandchildren simultaneously.