If there’s anything to be learned from politics these days, it’s that statistics can be maneuvered to support just about any point of view. That being said, keep in mind as you read the random figures offered below (from American Demographics*, the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics) that they are meant to start you thinking about some of the trends that may have an influence over the spending patterns of Americans today. Men vs. women In the overall population, ages 18 to 24, there are just a few more men than women. However, 23 percent more women than men are enrolled in colleges and universities right now. In fact, women have earned almost 60 percent of bachelor’s and master’s degrees awarded in the last five years.

Based on 2004 averages, a fully employed college grad was able to earn twice as much as a similarly employed high school graduate.

Over the past five years, women have seen their real median income rise 4 percent when compared to a 3 percent decrease for men. Yet, on average, full-time working women with bachelor’s degrees still earn 32 percent less than men of similar education and employment.

How America spends
In the past decade in this country, real consumer spending saw an increase of 23 percent, with the number of American households going up only 14 percent.

In 2005, spending for all goods and services by American households averaged $1,500 a week.

More than 5 million American homeowners now own two or more homes.

The top 20 percent of U.S. households makes an average annual income of $151,000, while 60 percent of households are scraping by on an average of about $27,000 annual income. Roughly 12.7 percent of families lived below the poverty level in 2004.

Baby Boomers
Baby Boomers are defined as Americans born between 1946 and 1964. This year, the oldest Boomers will be turning 60!

The average income of households headed by 50-59 year-olds is $75,000 a year.

About 65 percent of men and 50 percent of women who are aged 60-64 are still in the workforce. For persons aged 65-69, those figures drop to 37 percent of men and 29 percent of women.

Nearly 60 percent of older baby boomers make good money in professional or managerial jobs.

*American Demographics, appearing in Advertising Age and on AdAge.com, is Ad Age's home for consumer trends, data and insights.

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