Boomers May Not Outnumber Every Other Generation—But We DO Dominate Real Estate!
Kathy Streib’s recent post reminded me why I steer clear of “Senior Day” at the grocery store—it always seems to be the busiest shopping day of the week in Charlotte! One look at those crowded aisles and checkout lines, could easily convince you that Baby Boomers outnumber everyone else in America. Naturally, that sent me searching for the actual numbers!
I recently heard that, for the first time in history, Baby Boomers outnumber every other generation in the United States. It certainly sounded believable—we are called the Baby Boom generation, after all!
But it isn’t quite accurate.
Millennials are currently the largest living generation in the United States, with approximately 74 million people. Baby Boomers—those born between 1946 and 1964—number roughly 64 million. We are also slightly outnumbered nationally by Generation X.
But before my fellow Boomers surrender the crown, there is another statistic worth celebrating: Baby Boomers currently dominate the housing market.
According to the National Association of REALTORS® 2026 Generational Trends report, Boomers accounted for:
- 42% of recent home buyers, the largest share of any generation
- 55% of recent home sellers, also the largest share
Why? Many Boomers have accumulated substantial home equity, they are less dependent on mortgage financing and they have greater flexibility to make their next move. Some are downsizing, some are relocating and others are purchasing homes that better suit the way they want to live now.
And, according to the Federal Reserve’s latest data, Boomers—born from 1946 through 1964—held approximately:
- 51.6% of total U.S. household wealth
- That's roughly $85 trillion
- Gen X holds about 26%
- Millennials and Gen Z combined hold about 11%
- The Silent Generation and older households held the remainder
That means Boomers control slightly more than half of America’s household wealth, despite representing far less than half the population. Much of it is held in home equity, retirement accounts, stocks and privately owned businesses.
So, no, we don’t out-populate every other generation. But when it comes to finance & real estate, Boomers remain an extraordinarily powerful force—and we aren’t quietly fading into the background anytime soon either!
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