Whether you are a boomer or one’s parent, you may find Dr. Mary Furlong’s book Turning Silver into Gold an interesting read. Furlong is an academic entrepreneurial marketer and author. Most important, she is an expert on the boomer demographic.
For example, did you know:
- The average adult American woman is 5 feet 4 inches tall and wears a size 14 dress.
- 1 in 4 boomers in the United States owns a second home. The typical vacation home buyer is 52 years old, earning an average of $82,800. The largest concentration of these vacation homes is in the Midwest.
- Boomers are the first generation in American history in which the majority of them have achieved at least some form of higher education.
- For the boomers, health care is shifting from a medical topic to a blend of entertainment, fitness, beauty, and spiritual well-being.
- Gardening is the most popular hobby of adults over 50.
- Boomers make up 60% of all the divorced people over the age of 50 in this country.
Furlong’s book offers more surprising and entertaining statistics, along with the back story of the boomers. She is crystal clear about the fact that this generation has had a tremendous amount of influence on all aspects of the United States. Moreover, the boomers have changed the world forever. That’s impressive.
Yours in the name of boomer solidarity,
Laraine Jablon
Laraine Jablon, BA, MA, is a freelance writer specializing in social and health concerns of seniors. She lives in Nesconset, New York, and welcomes your thoughts. Lhjablon@gmail.com.
