They are college educated, very affluent, between the ages of 25-34 and some demographers are referring to them as 'rare and desirable' and 'young and restless.' There are 10.3 million of them in the 87 metropolitan markets surveyed regularly by The Media Audit. They are pretty evenly divided by gender, 5,222,796 are women and 5,093,164 are men.
A New York Times article recently referred to them as "a demographic group increasingly viewed as the key to an economic future." The Times article described the group as "mobile but not flighty, fresh but technologically savvy" and "their chances of relocating drop precipitously when they turn 35. Cities that do not attract them now will be hurting in a decade."
According to The Media Audit data, approximately 21% of adults in the 87 metropolitan markets surveyed are members of the 'rare and desirable" group.
More than 36% have lived in the city of their current residence for five years or less and 33.6% have lived at their current address for one year or less.
"It's at about age 35 that they start to settle in," says Bob Jordan, President of the Media Audit. "By that age they are likely to be married and have children and that often makes moving much less desirable. They are a very distinctive group, in many ways. 43.5% of all those in the 87 markets who drive Hummers are members of this group and 30.6% of all those who drive Land Rovers are also members of this group."
More than 72% have household incomes of 50,000 plus. This compares to just 48.7% of all adults. And 45.5% have incomes of 75,000 plus compared to just 29% of all adults. Almost 25% have incomes of 100,000 plus compared to 16.9% of all adults.
"The income levels are spectacular," says Jordan, "when you consider they are all between the ages of 25 and 34."
There is apparently awareness in the group that advanced education got them where they are because 24.3% plan on taking additional college level courses in the next 12 months. More than 30% of the members of this group already have at least one advanced degree.
34% say they are Democrats, 25.8% Republicans and 31.3% Independent. However, only 68.4% voted in local, state or national elections during the previous year.
Racially the group is 56.9% Caucasian, 9.5% African-American, 12.5% Hispanic, 16.1% Asian and 5.0% other.
The ten markets with the highest percentages of "the young and restless" are: Little Rock, 30.5; Salt Lake City, 29.4; Lexington, 28.0; Louisville, 27.2; Columbus (OH), 27.1; Greensboro-Winston Salem, 27.0; Austin, 26.6; Nashville, 26.2; Memphis, 26.0; and Peoria, 25.8.
