Adding to the complexity of analysis, the national picture of a population that is diversifying in its younger ages while its white population is rapidly aging oversimplifies the story because it does not account for variation among states and metropolitan areas. Racial and ethnic disparities in education, family formation, income and housing persist among millennials, potentially undermining their impact as the vanguard of a colorblind nation. This means that millennials, now 44 percent minority, will pave the way for the generations behind them as workers, consumers and leaders in business and government in their acceptance of a racially diverse America. By the mid-2040s, racial and ethnic minorities are projected to make up about half of all Americans, but the 2020 census will show that the post-millennial generation - people who are younger than millennials - will already be minority white. Indeed, this generation is poised to be the demographic bridge to the nation’s diverse future. While much attention has been given to this generation’s attributes - its technological savvy, tolerance and independence, and its skeptical view of established institutions - I would argue the one characteristic of millennials that matters most is their racial and ethnic diversity. Now all over 20, millennials make up nearly a quarter of the total population, 30 percent of the voting-age population, and almost two-fifths of the working-age population. The millennials, at over 75 million strong, constitute America’s largest generation, eclipsing the postwar baby boomers.
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