'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

Large blank mall building with only two cars in large parking lot.

Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House

If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.

April 18, 2024 - Central Penn Business Journal

Street scene in Greenwich Village, New York City with people walking through busy intersection and new WTC tower in background.

Planning for Accessibility: Proximity is More Important than Mobility

Accessibility-based planning minimizes the distance that people must travel to reach desired services and activities. Measured this way, increased density can provide more total benefits than increased speeds.

April 14, 2024 - Todd Litman

Rendering of wildlife crossing over 101 freeway in Los Angeles County.

World's Largest Wildlife Overpass In the Works in Los Angeles County

Caltrans will soon close half of the 101 Freeway in order to continue construction of the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing near Agoura Hills in Los Angeles County.

April 15, 2024 - LAist

View of downtown Seattle with Space Needle and mountains in background

Eviction Looms for Low-Income Tenants as Rent Debt Rises

Nonprofit housing operators across the country face almost $10 billion in rent debt.

April 23 - The Seattle Times

Rendering of Brightline West train passing through Southern California desert

Brightline West Breaks Ground

The high-speed rail line will link Las Vegas and the Los Angeles area.

April 23 - KTLA

Aerial view of gold state capitol dome in Denver, Colorado and Denver skyline.

Colorado Bans No-Fault Evictions

In most cases, landlords must provide a just cause for evicting tenants.

April 23 - Colorado Politics

News from HUD User

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Call for Speakers

Mpact Transit + Community

New Updates on PD&R Edge

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.