'Peak Millennial' Has Passed: What Comes Next for Cities and Suburbs?

The largest cohort of Millennials (those born in 1990) recently turned 25, leaving only smaller waves of their generational peers to follow. Are economic and generational trends primed for another, suburban shift?

1 minute read

February 23, 2016, 2:00 PM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Millennial Crowd

Jared Eberhardt / Flickr

"A prominent demographer says that country has officially reached 'peak Millennial,'" according to an article by Ryan Holeywell.

That prominent demographer is Dowell Myers, who is getting the word out that the largest cohort of Millennials, those born in 1990, turned 25 in 2015. "That number matters: around age 25 is when young people start to get more serious about their careers, their housing, and their future," explains Holeywell.

Now that that cohort has hit that benchmark, in every year from now on "we’ll see a smaller and smaller number of Americans from the Millennial generation come of age — ergo, we’ve hit 'peak Millennial.'"

Once the new world order is rapidly becoming the mature world order, the question becomes whether the largest generation ever will move on from its preference for urban living. According to the article, Myers is of the camp that believes that Millennials will follow the generations that came before them into the suburbs once they can—and that will have a fresh round of implications both for cities and for suburbs.

Monday, February 22, 2016 in The Urban Edge

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Close-up of "Apartment for rent" sign in red text on black background in front of blurred building

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program

Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

April 21, 2025 - Housing Wire

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 30, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Close-up on Canadian flag with Canada Parliament building blurred in background.

Canada vs. Kamala: Whose Liberal Housing Platform Comes Out on Top?

As Canada votes for a new Prime Minister, what can America learn from the leading liberal candidate of its neighbor to the north?

April 28, 2025 - Benjamin Schneider

Close-up on woman in white and blue striped knee-length dress standing next to mint green cruiser bike resting against low wrought iron fence in front of green lawn.

Paris Voters Approve More Car-Free Streets

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo says the city will develop a plan to close 500 streets to car traffic and add new bike and pedestrian infrastructure after a referendum on the proposal passed with 66 percent of the vote.

49 seconds ago - domus

Close-up of man in manually operated wheelchair waiting at urban crosswalk.

Making Mobility More Inclusive

A new study highlights the challenges people with disabilities continue to face in navigating urban spaces.

1 hour ago - Greater Good Magazine

US and Texas flags flying in front of Texas state capitol dome in Austin, Texas.

Texas Bills Could Push More People Into Homelessness

A proposal to speed up the eviction process and a bill that would accelerate enforcement of an existing camping ban could make the state’s homelessness crisis worse, advocates say.

2 hours ago - The Texas Tribune