History of Generation Z in Timeline
Generation Z, also known as Zoomers, follows the Millennials and precedes Generation Alpha. Born roughly between the mid-to-late 1990s and the early 2010s (typically 1997-2012), they are largely the children of Generation X. Future generations, Generation Beta, will likely have many Gen Z parents. This generation is defined by its birth year and relation to the generations that came before and after it.
1 hour ago : Gen Z rebels against the economy using 'disillusionomics' to manage debt and income.
Generation Z is actively rebelling against traditional economic norms by employing 'disillusionomics'. They are creatively tackling substantial debt by diversifying their income through multiple streams, reflecting a shift in financial strategies.
1965: Parenting Time Trends Analysis Begins
From 1965 to 2012, sociologists Judith Treas and Giulia M. Dotti Sani analyzed the diaries of parents across eleven Western countries to understand trends in parenting time.
1977: Decline in Age of Pubertal Onset
A 2019 meta-analysis found that between 1977 and 2013, the age of pubertal onset among girls has fallen by an average of almost three months per decade, but with significant regional variations.
1985: "Running Up That Hill" release
In 1985, Kate Bush released "Running Up That Hill". The song became popular among Generation Z after being featured in Stranger Things.
1990: Increase in Allergic Reactions in the UK
Between 1990 and the late 2010s, the number of children hospitalized for allergic reactions in the United Kingdom increased by a factor of five, as did the number of British children allergic to peanuts.
1991: Peak in Youth Crime in Canada
In 1991, youth crime in Canada reached its peak.
1994: Friends premiere
In 1994, Friends premiered and became a comfort show for Generation Z.
1995: McCrindle Research's Gen Z Definition
In 1995, Australia's McCrindle Research used this year to define Generation Z.
1996: Australian Bureau of Statistics Gen Z Definition
In 1996, the Australian Bureau of Statistics used this year to define Generation Z in a 2021 Census report.
1997: Birth Year for Generation Z
According to a 2019 estimate, members of Generation Z are defined as those born starting from 1997 to 2012.
1997: Increase in Self-Harm Among Teenage Girls
Data from the British National Health Service (NHS) showed that in England in 1997, hospitalizations for self-harm doubled among teenage girls between 1997 and 2018.
1997: Pew Research Center Specifies 1997 as starting birth year
In 1997, Pew Research Center specifies this year as the starting birth year for Generation Z.
1997: Publication of One Piece Manga
In 1997, the Japanese manga "One Piece" was first published. It has become one of the most popular manga among members of Generation Z, who appreciate its optimism, enthusiasm, and friendship themes.
1999: Publication of Naruto Manga
In 1999, the Japanese manga "Naruto" was first published. It has become one of the most popular manga among members of Generation Z.
2000: Youth Crime Decline in Canada (2000-2014)
Between 2000 and 2014, youth crimes in Canada plummeted 42%, above the drop for overall crime of 34%.
2000: Decrease in Babies Born to 18-year-old Mothers in the UK
From 2000 to 2016, the number of babies being born in the United Kingdom to 18-year-old mothers had fallen by 58%.
2000: Reading Declines in New Zealand
In 2000, according to child development psychologist Tom Nicholson, there was a decline in vocabulary usage and reading among schoolchildren in New Zealand. According to the National Education Monitoring Project reading was more popular in 2000 compared to a 2008 survey, which showed a ten-percent drop in pupils reading books as a hobby.
2000: Generational Cutoff Point
In 2000, the generational cutoff for an analysis of Generation Z and Millennials was placed at 2000 to 2001, by Bloomberg's analysis of United Nations data.
2001: Reading Enthusiasm of Fourth Graders
In 2001, according to the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) fourth graders in 13 out of 20 countries and territories surveyed were more enthusiastic about reading compared to 2016.
2001: Generational Cutoff Point
In 2001, the generational cutoff for an analysis of Generation Z and Millennials was placed at 2000 to 2001, by Bloomberg's analysis of United Nations data.
2004: Increase in Nut and Shellfish Allergies
Between 2004 and 2019, nut allergies quadrupled and shellfish allergies increased 40%. Allergies have been growing increasingly common since the early 2000s, according to research by the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota.
2004: Friends series finale
In 2004, Friends series finale aired, but the show continues to be a comfort show for Generation Z.
2005: Strauss and Howe adopted 'Homeland Generation'
In 2005, authors William Strauss and Neil Howe, creators of the Strauss–Howe generational theory, adopted the term Homeland Generation (or Homelanders) after sponsoring a contest to name the post-Millennial group.
2006: Start of Decline in Youth Crime in Canada
In 2006, police-reported crimes committed by persons between the ages of 12 and 17 began to fall steadily in Canada.
2006: Twenge's Book About Millennials
In 2006, psychologist Jean Twenge intended to name her book about Millennials as 'Generation Z' but changed the title to 'Generation Me' at the insistence of her publisher.
2007: Release of "Into the New World" by Girls' Generation
In 2007, the K-pop song "Into the New World" by Girls' Generation, despite having largely apolitical lyrics, was later used in anti-corruption protests in South Korea and pro-democratic rallies in Hong Kong and Thailand.
2008: Decline in Reading Among Schoolchildren in New Zealand
In 2008, a survey by the National Education Monitoring Project in New Zealand showed that about one in five year-four and year-eight pupils read books as a hobby, a ten-percent drop from 2000.
2008: Teenage Pregnancy Rate in New Zealand
In 2008, the pregnancy rate for females aged 15 to 19 in New Zealand was 33 per 1,000.
2009: McCrindle Research's Gen Z Definition
In 2009, Australia's McCrindle Research used this year to define Generation Z.
2009: Ending birth year for Generation Z
In 2009, researchers and popular media marked the ending birth year for Generation Z.
2010: Meta-Analysis on Intellectual Disability Prevalence
A 2010 meta-analysis by an international team of mental health experts found that the worldwide prevalence of intellectual disability (ID) was around one percent.
2010: Divergent Approaches to Gifted Students
In 2010, China unveiled a decade-long National Talent Development Plan to identify able students and guide them into STEM fields, while England dismantled its National Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth, redirecting funds to help low-scoring students gain admission to elite universities. Developmental cognitive psychologist David Geary observed that Western educators remained "resistant" to the possibility that even the most talented of schoolchildren needed encouragement and support and tended to concentrate on low performers.
2010: University of Essex analyzes data on social media use and mental health
In 2010, researchers at the University of Essex analyzed data from 10,000 families, assessing mental health, and found that 10% of female subjects reported social media use at age 10, while this was only true for 7% of the male subjects.
2010: Statistics Bureau of Japan's Definition
In 2010, the Statistics Bureau of Japan defined Generation Z.
2010: Increase in HIV Treatment Among South African Teens
In 2019, a research article published in the journal The Lancet reported that the number of South Africans aged 15 to 19 being treated for HIV increased by a factor of ten between 2010 and 2019. This is partly due to improved detection and treatment programs.
2010: Decline in Adolescent Crime Rates in Australia
Research from Australia suggested that crime rates among adolescents had consistently declined between 2010 and 2019.
2011: Decline in Nickelodeon Viewership
By the end of 2011, Nickelodeon experienced a sharp double-digit decline in viewership, which Viacom management described as inexplicable.
2011: Increase in Grandparent-Grandchild Households in Canada
In 2011, five percent of Canadian children below the age of ten lived with a grandparent, up from 3.3% in the previous decade, largely due to childcare affordability issues and long working hours for parents.
2012: Birth Year for Generation Z
According to a 2019 estimate, members of Generation Z are defined as those born from 1997 to 2012.
2012: Marijuana Use in Western Democracies
As of 2012, marijuana use in Western democracies was three times the global average.
2012: Pew Research Center's tentative endpoint for Generation Z
In 2012, Pew Research Center used this year as a tentative endpoint for Generation Z in their 2019 report.
2012: OECD survey finds an increase in time spent on electronic devices
In 2012, a survey of students from 79 countries by the OECD showed that the amount of time spent using electronic devices was under two hours per weekday.
2012: Twenge's "iGen" Defines the iGeneration
In 2012, psychologist Jean Twenge defines the "iGeneration" as the cohort born 1995 to 2012 in her book iGen.
2012: Increase in Parenting Time
In 2012, research showed that mothers spent twice as much time with their children compared to 1965, while fathers spent four times as much, reflecting a trend of 'intensive parenting.'
2013: Decline in Age of Pubertal Onset
A 2019 meta-analysis found that between 1977 and 2013, the age of pubertal onset among girls has fallen by an average of almost three months per decade, but with significant regional variations.
2013: The Office series finale
In 2013, The Office series finale aired, but the show continues to be a comfort show for Generation Z.
2013: Research on Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Educational Outcome
In 2013, a team of neuroscientists from the University College London published a paper on how neurodevelopmental disorders can affect a child's educational outcome. They found that up to 10% of the human population have specific learning disabilities or about two to three children in a (Western) classroom.
2014: Increase in sleep difficulties among schoolchildren in Scotland
A study by Glasgow University found that the number of schoolchildren in Scotland reporting sleep difficulties increased from 23% in 2014 to 30% in 2018.
2014: Child Marriage Statistics
According to a 2014 report from UNICEF, some 250 million females were forced into marriage before the age of 15, especially in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, leading to negative consequences such as loss of educational opportunity and health risks.
2014: Decline in Youth Crime in Canada
In 2014, Statistics Canada reported that police-reported crimes committed by persons between the ages of 12 and 17 had been steadily falling since 2006, as part of a larger trend of decline from a peak in 1991.
2014: Sparks and Honey report on Generation Z's computer usage
In 2014, U.S. consultants Sparks and Honey reported that 41% of Generation Z spent over three hours daily using computers for non-school activities, compared to 22% in 2004.
2014: End of Naruto Manga
In 2014, the Japanese manga "Naruto" concluded. It has become one of the most popular manga among members of Generation Z.
2014: Rise in Overweight or Obese Australian Adults
In 2014–15, 39% of Australians aged 18 to 24, were overweight, and the number of Australian adults who were overweight or obese rose from 63%. The Australian Medical Associated and Obesity Coalition have urged the federal government to levy a tax on sugary drinks, to require health ratings, and to regulate the advertisement of fast foods.
2014: IQ Increase in the United States
Up until 2014, the United States continued its historic march towards higher IQ, at a rate of 0.38 per decade. This is according to cognitive scientists James R. Flynn and Michael Shayer.
2015: Psychiatric Disorders Among Adolescents Meta-Analysis
A 2015 meta-analysis found that the most common psychiatric disorders among adolescents were ADHD, anxiety disorders, behavioral disorders, and depression.
2015: Decline in Friendships among Teenagers
According to the OECD PISA surveys, 15-year-olds in 2015 had a tougher time making friends at school than ten years prior, possibly due to intrusive parenting, heavy use of electronic devices, and concerns over academic performance and job prospects.
2015: Rise in Overweight or Obese Australian Adults
In 2014–15, 39% of Australians aged 18 to 24, were overweight, and the number of Australian adults who were overweight or obese rose from 63%. The Australian Medical Associated and Obesity Coalition have urged the federal government to levy a tax on sugary drinks, to require health ratings, and to regulate the advertisement of fast foods.
2015: Microsoft study on phone usage
In 2015, a Microsoft study revealed that 77% of respondents aged 18 to 24 stated that they immediately reach for their phone when unoccupied, compared to only 10% of those aged 65 and over, showcasing a significant difference in behavior across generations.
2015: Increase in Nearsightedness and Digital Eye Strain
In 2015, a study found that the frequency of nearsightedness had doubled in the United Kingdom within the last 50 years. Ophthalmologist Steve Schallhorn and the American Optometric Association pointed to a link between the regular use of handheld electronic devices and digital eyestrain.
2015: Report on cyberbullying
In 2015, cyberbullying was reported as more common among girls, with 22% reporting it, compared to 10% for boys, indicating a gender disparity in experiences of online harassment.
2015: Increase in educational apps in Apple's App Store
In 2015, it was estimated that 10% of apps, approximately 150,000, in Apple's App Store were educational apps targeted at children up to college level, raising questions about the impact on learning and child development.
2015: University of Essex analyzes data on social media use and mental health
In 2015, researchers at the University of Essex analyzing data on social media use and mental health found that social media use had jumped to 53% for girls and 41% for boys by age 15.
2015: Teenage Pregnancy Rate in Australia
In 2015, the teenage pregnancy rate in Australia was 15 per 1,000.
2016: K-pop used in anti-corruption protests in South Korea
In 2016, K-pop music, including the song "Into the New World" (2007) by Girls' Generation, was used in anti-corruption protests in South Korea.
2016: Higher Percentage of Childless Women Aged 18-21
In 2016, Pew Research reports that 88% of American women aged 18 to 21 were childless, as opposed to 80% of Generation X and 79% of Millennial female youth at a similar age.
2016: Stranger Things release
In 2016, the Netflix science-fiction horror series Stranger Things was released.
2016: Decline in Reading Enthusiasm Among Fourth Graders
In 2016, the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) indicated that fourth graders in 13 out of 20 countries and territories surveyed were less enthusiastic about reading than their predecessors in 2001, and their parents were even less keen on reading.
2016: Varkey Foundation and Populus International Study
In 2016, the Varkey Foundation and Populus conducted an international study examining the attitudes of over 20,000 people aged 15 to 21 in twenty countries, finding that 59% of Gen Z youth were happy with their personal lives.
2016: Teenage Pregnancy Rate Decline in New Zealand
In 2016, the pregnancy rate for females aged 15 to 19 in New Zealand dropped to 16 per 1,000, declining from 33 per 1,000 in 2008.
2016: Early Usage of 'Zoomer'
Merriam-Webster's records suggest that the term 'Zoomer' in the sense of Generation Z dates back to at least 2016.
2017: Study on Internet Usage and Reading Comprehension
A 2017 study from the Dominican Republic suggests that students from all sectors of the educational system utilize the Internet for academic purposes, yet those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds tend to rank the lowest in terms of reading comprehension skills.
2017: Generation Z in Canada
Data from Statistics Canada published in 2017 showed that Generation Z comprised 17.6% of the Canadian population.
2017: Increase in Overweight Australians
In 2017 and 2018, data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics revealed that 46% of Australians aged 18 to 24 were overweight, about a million people. The Australian Medical Associated and Obesity Coalition have urged the federal government to levy a tax on sugary drinks, to require health ratings, and to regulate the advertisement of fast foods.
2017: Twenge's book on Gen Z, iGen
In 2017, Jean Twenge used the term Generation Z for her book, iGen.
2017: Young Population in Africa
In 2017, it was reported that 60% of the 1.2 billion people living in Africa fell below the age of 25.
2017: Twenge's "iGen" Defines the iGeneration
In 2017, psychologist Jean Twenge defines the "iGeneration" as the cohort born 1995 to 2012 in her book iGen.
2017: Adam Alter publishes 'Irresistible'
In his 2017 book, "Irresistible", Adam Alter argued that children are addicted to electronic gadgets, which jeopardizes their ability to read non-verbal social cues.
2017: Research on social media usage and mental health
Research conducted in 2017 suggested a link between the social media usage patterns of Generation Z and increased feelings of loneliness, anxiety, and fragility, with girls potentially being more affected than boys.
2018: Increase in sleep difficulties among schoolchildren in Scotland
A study by Glasgow University found that the number of schoolchildren in Scotland reporting sleep difficulties increased from 23% in 2014 to 30% in 2018.
2018: CDC report on social media's negative aspects
According to 2018 CDC reports, girls are disproportionately affected by the negative aspects of social media than boys.
2018: Increase in Self-Harm Among Teenage Girls
Data from the British National Health Service (NHS) showed that in England in 2018, hospitalizations for self-harm doubled among teenage girls between 1997 and 2018.
2018: Youth Crime Statistics in England and Wales (2018-2019)
From 2018 to 2019, the numbers of young people aged ten to seventeen in England and Wales being cautioned or sentenced for criminal activity had fallen by 83% over the previous decade, while those entering the youth justice system for the first time had fallen by 85%.
2018: Increase in Overweight Australians
In 2017 and 2018, data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics revealed that 46% of Australians aged 18 to 24 were overweight, about a million people. The Australian Medical Associated and Obesity Coalition have urged the federal government to levy a tax on sugary drinks, to require health ratings, and to regulate the advertisement of fast foods.
2018: Generation Z Majority in Africa
In 2018, Generation Z comprised the majority of the population of Africa.
2018: Gender Population Imbalances in China and India
In 2018, according to the United Nations, there were 112 Chinese males for every hundred females ages 15 to 29, and in India, there were 111 males for every hundred females in that age group. China had a total of 34 million excess males and India 37 million. Together, China and India had a combined 50 million excess males under the age of 20.
2018: IQ Stagnation and Reversal
In 2018, cognitive scientists James R. Flynn and Michael Shayer argued that IQ gains observed during the 20th century had stagnated or reversed. A decline in general intelligence was noted in Nordic nations starting in the 1990s, while the United States continued to see increases until 2014.
2018: Cottagecore Aesthetic Emerges
In 2018, the 'cottagecore' aesthetic emerged as a subculture of Generation Z, especially on social media during mass lockdowns due to COVID-19, reflecting escapism and aspirational nostalgia.
2018: ICILS study on digital literacy
In 2018, the International Computer and Information Literacy Study (ICILS) assessed 42,000 eighth-graders from 14 countries and education systems, revealing that only two percent were highly proficient with information devices, and only 19% could independently use computers for information gathering and work management.
2018: Bluey Animated Series Release
In 2018, the animated series Bluey was released, becoming popular among teenagers and young adults for its positive portrayal of family life.
2018: Zoomer Popularity
In 2018, the term 'Zoomer' skyrocketed in popularity when it was used in a meme on 4chan mocking Gen Z adolescents.
2019: Decline in Age of Pubertal Onset
A 2019 meta-analysis found that between 1977 and 2013, the age of pubertal onset among girls has fallen by an average of almost three months per decade, but with significant regional variations.
2019: Meta-analysis on screen time and academic performance
A 2019 meta-analysis of numerous studies from around two dozen countries suggested that there is no overall association between screen time and academic performance, but negative associations are found when examining individual screen-time activities.
2019: OECD survey on electronic device usage and reading habits.
According to a 2019 OECD survey, members of Generation Z were spending more time on electronic devices and less time reading books than before.
2019: Childwise Report on Favorite Program
According to a 2019 report by Childwise, over 2,000 children and teenagers in the United Kingdom chose Friends as their favorite program, watching it on Netflix.
2019: Increase in Nut and Shellfish Allergies
Between 2004 and 2019, nut allergies quadrupled and shellfish allergies increased 40%. Allergies have been growing increasingly common since the early 2000s, according to research by the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota.
2019: Diversity in Generation Z in the United States
Frey's analysis of U.S. Census data stated that as of 2019, 50.9% of Generation Z is white, 13.8% is black, 25.0% Hispanic, and 5.3% Asian. 29% of Generation Z are children of immigrants or immigrants themselves, compared to 23% of Millennials when they were at the same age.
2019: Generation Z Population in South Africa
In 2019, 46% of the South African population, or 27.5 million people, were identified as members of Generation Z.
2019: FanFiction.Net Analysis of Fan Fiction Trends
In 2019, Cecilia Aragon and Katie Davis of FanFiction.Net published an analysis showing that 60 billion words of content had been added over the previous 20 years by 10 million English-speaking people, with a median age of 15.5 years. They argued that writing fan fiction can combat social isolation and hone writing skills, but also noted potential exposure to cyberbullying.
2019: Foreign-Born Young People in Europe
In 2019, Luxembourg had the highest share of young people (41.9%) ages 15 to 29 (which includes younger Millennials) born in a foreign country. More than 20% of this age group were foreign-born in Cyprus, Malta, Austria and Sweden.
2019: Pew Research Center's 2019 report
In 2019, Pew Research Center tentatively used 2012 as the endpoint for Generation Z in their report.
2019: Increase in HIV Treatment Among South African Teens
In 2019, a research article published in the journal The Lancet reported that the number of South Africans aged 15 to 19 being treated for HIV increased by a factor of ten between 2010 and 2019. This is partly due to improved detection and treatment programs.
2019: OECD survey finds an increase in time spent on electronic devices
In 2019, a survey of students from 79 countries by the OECD showed that the amount of time spent using electronic devices had increased to close to three hours per weekday, at the expense of extracurricular reading.
2019: Generation Z Surpasses Millennials in Population
In 2019, according to Bloomberg's analysis of United Nations data, Generation Z accounted for 2.47 billion (32%) of the 7.7 billion inhabitants of Earth, surpassing the Millennial population of 2.43 billion. The generational cutoff for this analysis was placed at 2000 to 2001.
2019: United States most popular destination for international students
In 2019, the United States was the most popular destination for international students, with 30% of its international student body coming from mainland China, Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Japan.
2019: Generation Z swings towards right-wing parties in Europe
In Europe, voters from Generation Z swung from favoring the Greens in the 2019 European Parliament elections to supporting parties of the (far) right in 2024.
2019: Increase in Teenagers getting medical treatment for self-harm in Ontario
In Ontario, Canada, the number of teenagers getting medical treatment for self-harm doubled in 2019 compared to ten years prior. The number of suicides has also gone up.
2019: Youth Crime Statistics in Australia (2010-2019)
Research from Australia suggested that crime rates among adolescents had consistently declined between 2010 and 2019.
2019: UN Projections of Median Ages
Statistical projections from the United Nations in 2019 suggest that, in 2020, the people of Niger had a median age of 15.2, Mali 16.3, Chad 16.6, Somalia, Uganda, and Angola all 16.7, the Democratic Republic of the Congo 17.0, Burundi 17.3, Mozambique and Zambia both 17.6.
January 2020: Zoomer Added to Dictionary.com
In January 2020, the term 'Zoomer' was added to Dictionary.com.
2020: Literature Review Confirms Higher Incidence of Intellectual Disability
A 2020 literature review and meta-analysis confirmed that the incidence of intellectual disability was indeed more common than estimates from the early 2000s.
2020: Common Psychiatric Disorders Among Adolescents Meta-Analysis
A 2020 meta-analysis found that the most common psychiatric disorders among adolescents were ADHD, anxiety disorders, behavioral disorders, and depression.
2020: BBFC report on adolescent pornography consumption
A 2020 report by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) indicated that many parents were unaware of their adolescents' pornography consumption, with over half of interviewed teenagers admitting to having viewed pornography.
2020: BBFC report on body image and Instagram
According to a 2020 report by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC), many young people felt their overall body image was largely influenced by the body images they encountered on Instagram.
2020: Generation Z as the Largest Generation Alive
As of 2020, Generation Z was the largest generation alive despite many countries having aging populations and declining birth rates.
2020: Children Better at Delaying Gratification
In 2020, a report by psychologist John Protzko analyzing over 30 studies found that children have become better at delaying gratification over the previous 50 years. This improvement corresponds to an average increase of 0.18 standard deviations per decade on the IQ scale, contrary to the opinion of most cognitive experts.
2020: Center for Generational Kinetics Survey
In 2020, a survey by the Center for Generational Kinetics suggested that Generation Z still desires to travel, seeks value for money, saves for housing and retirement, and prefers active trips, valuing mobile-friendly websites and social-media engagements.
2020: Alcohol and Drug Use Among Generation Z in the UK
In 2020, data from the UK Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed that members of Generation Z in the UK binged on alcohol 20% less often than Millennials, but 9.9% consumed at least one drug in the past month, usually cannabis.
2020: Median Ages in Niger, Mali, Chad, Somalia, Uganda, Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, Mozambique and Zambia
In 2020, projections by the United Nations suggest that Niger had a median age of 15.2, Mali 16.3, Chad 16.6, Somalia, Uganda, and Angola all 16.7, the Democratic Republic of the Congo 17.0, Burundi 17.3, Mozambique and Zambia both 17.6. These are the world's youngest countries by median age.
2020: Generation Z shifts towards the right in the United States
In the United States, while Generation Z might still support some left-wing causes like the Millennials, they have shifted noticeably towards the right since 2020 as their priorities change.
October 2021: Zoomer Added to Merriam-Webster dictionary
In October 2021, the term 'Zoomer' was added to the Merriam-Webster dictionary.
2021: UNICEF Report on Mental Health Disorders
A 2021 UNICEF report stated that 13% of ten- to nineteen-year-olds around the world had a diagnosed mental health disorder and that suicide was the fourth most common cause of death among fifteen- to nineteen-year-olds. The report also noted that the COVID-19 pandemic had widely disrupted mental health services.
2021: LGBTQ+ Identification in Gen Z
According to a 2021 Gallup survey, 20.8%, or about one in five members, of Gen Z identify as LGBTQ+.
2021: Religious Unaffiliation in Canada
In 2021, 43% of people aged 15 to 35 in Canada were religiously unaffiliated, with young Canadian adults tending to view religion as incompatible with modernity.
2021: Statistics Canada's 2021 Canadian census.
In 2021, Statistics Canada used the years 1997 to 2012, citing Pew Research Center, in a publication analyzing the Canadian census.
2021: Australian Bureau of Statistics Census report
In 2021, The Australian Bureau of Statistics used between 1996 and 2010 in a Census report to define Generation Z.
2021: People with a Foreign Background in Finland
In Finland, 4.5% of people aged 14 and younger were born abroad and 10.6% had a foreign-background in 2021.
2022: McKinsey & Company Insight on Generation Z
According to a 2022 McKinsey & Company insight, Generation Z will account for a quarter of the population of the Asia-Pacific region by 2025 and possess a global spending power of approximately US$140bn by 2030.
2022: TikTok active user base
As of 2022, TikTok had approximately 689 million active users, with 43% being members of Generation Z.
2022: Generation Z Dominates Book Purchases in the UK
By 2022, Generation Z accounted for the majority of book purchases in the United Kingdom, although teenage girls were more likely to read for pleasure. About one in three children struggle with finding something interesting to read.
2022: Protests in Iran
In 2022, Iranian activists, predominantly women, protested against their government following the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old who died in morality police custody for allegedly violating the Islamic dress code.
2022: OECD's PISA Tests Reveal Decline in Skills
In 2022, the OECD's Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) tests revealed a continuation of a long-term decline in reading and mathematical skills since the early 2010s. However, students from Singapore, Macau, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan were largely unaffected or even saw an improvement. Iceland, Sweden, and Finland continued their years-long decline, and the U.S. national average remained behind those of many other industrialized nations.
2022: Teenage Pregnancy Rate in the United States
In 2022, the teenage pregnancy rate in the United States reached a record low of 13.5.
2022: Spotify consumer data on Generation Z nostalgia
Spotify consumer data from 2022 suggests that Generation Z is most nostalgic for the 1980s.
May 2023: Youth Unemployment Rate Lowest in 70 Years
In the United States, the youth unemployment rate (16–24) reached 7.5% in May 2023, marking the lowest rate in 70 years. High-school graduates were able to enter the job market immediately, with employers offering incentives such as bonuses, high wages, and apprenticeship programs due to an ongoing labor shortage.
June 2023: Unemployment Rate in China
By June 2023, China's unemployment rate for people aged 16 to 24 was about one fifth.
2023: Economic Optimism Among Gen Z
As of 2023, Generation Z members in North America and developing Asian nations were more optimistic about their economic prospects. They also valued financial security, meaningful work, well-being, and work-life balance.
2023: High Unemployment Among Chinese Graduates
In 2023, as many as one in five Chinese graduates struggled to find gainful employment. In response, the government has recommended that students and their families consider vocational training programs to fill factory jobs.
2023: Spotify Reports Growth in Subscribers
In mid-2023, Spotify reported more growth than expected in the number of subscribers among Generation Z.
2023: Predicted growth of TikTok audience
It is predicted that by the end of 2023, TikTok's audience will grow by 1.5 billion active users, with 70% being members of Generation Z.
2024: Market Growth in Saudi Arabia
As of 2024, in culturally modernizing Saudi Arabia, where 63% of the population was under the age of 30, luxury brands have seen growth in the market aimed at young consumers, most of whom make online purchases and prefer products that not only reflects their cultural heritage but are also modern.
2024: Mobile Phone Bans in Classrooms
By 2024, many places around the world decided to ban the use of mobile phones in the classroom to help their students concentrate better.
2024: July Revolution in Bangladesh
In 2024, students in Bangladesh overthrew the autocratic regime of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during the July Revolution, ending what they considered an unfair quota system in the Bangladeshi civil service and a massacre.
2024: Oxford English Dictionary Word of the Year
In 2024, the Oxford English Dictionary chose 'brain rot' as its word of the year, recognizing the Internet culture of Generations Z and Alpha.
2024: Protests in Kenya
In 2024, young people in Kenya, facing government corruption and economic instability, protested against the tax hikes imposed by President William Ruto.
2024: Generation Z swings towards right-wing parties in Europe
In Europe, voters from Generation Z swung from favoring the Greens in the 2019 European Parliament elections to supporting parties of the (far) right in 2024.
2024: Gender Divide in Political Views
In the United States, although a majority of male Zoomers voted for Donald Trump in 2024, young women were more split. Significant numbers of Gen-Z men support traditional gender roles, believe that it is much harder to be a man today, and that women's emancipation has gone too far and has come at their expense.
2025: Survey Finds High Prevalence of Mental Health Conditions in Gen Z
A 2025 survey found that 46% of American Generation Z members had been diagnosed with a mental health condition.
2025: Projected Population Share of Generation Z in Asia-Pacific
By 2025, Generation Z is projected to account for a quarter of the population of the Asia-Pacific region, according to a 2022 McKinsey & Company insight.
2025: Political Parties Campaign on TikTok
In 2025 proved to be a turning point in Australian politics as the three major political parties—the Labor Party, the Liberal-National Coalition, and the Green Party—all spent considerable resources campaigning on TikTok, vying for youth support.
2025: Government Collapse in Bulgaria
In 2025, Bulgaria became the first European nation to have its government overthrown by Generation Z members, who were protesting against government dysfunction and corruption.
2025: Protests in Nepal
In 2025, Generation Z in Nepal protested against a ban on social media and perceived extravagance and nepotism of the ruling class, leading to the toppling of Prime Minister Sharma Oli's communist government.
2025: Stranger Things End
In 2025, the Netflix science-fiction horror series Stranger Things is expected to end.
2025: Millennials and Generation Z Outnumber Baby Boomers as Voters in Australia
In Australia, Millennials and Generation Z outnumbered the Baby Boomers as voters by the 2025 federal election. In Canada, voters under the age of 30 are most worried about the housing shortage, the cost of living, and crime rates; they, especially men, favored the Conservatives by a sizeable margin in 2025.
2025: High unemployment rate for young Canadians
In Canada, as of 2025, people aged 15 to 24 faced an unemployment rate of 12.2%, which is more than twice the rate of prime working-age adults. Among university students, the unemployment rate was over one fifth, which is the highest since the Great Recession of the late 2000s.
2030: Projected Global Spending Power of Generation Z
By 2030, Generation Z is projected to possess a global spending power of approximately US$140bn, according to a 2022 McKinsey & Company insight.
2030: Projected Growth in Global Anime Demand
Global demand for anime is projected to continue growing until at least 2030 due to interest among young people.
2030: Civil Disobedience in Morocco
In 2030, Generation Z in Morocco organized civil disobedience on Discord in response to inadequate public services, high unemployment, and excessive government spending on the 2030 FIFA World Cup.
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