Amanda Barroso

Financial independence is one of the many markers used to designate the crossover from childhood into young adulthood, and it’s a milestone most Americans (64%) think young adults should reach by the time they are 22 years old, according to a new Pew Research Center study. But that’s not the reality for most young adults who’ve reached this age.

Today’s active duty military is smaller and more racially and ethnically diverse than in previous generations. More women are officers.

What it means to be a military veteran in the United States is being shaped by a new generation of service members. About one-in-five veterans today served on active duty after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Their collective experiences – from deployment to combat to the transition back to civilian life – are markedly different from those who served in previous eras.

Americans are divided along racial lines in their views on the legacy of slavery, the best way to achieve diversity and the value they place on their own racial and ethnic identity. Let's look at 11 questions from a recent survey to see what you think and how that compares with the rest of the nation.

Compared with 10 years ago, American teens are devoting more of their time in the summer to educational activities and less time to leisure.

Most black and Asian adults say race or race relations come up in their conversations with family and friends at least sometimes.

About three-in-four Americans believe that abortion will be legal in 2050. Democrats are more likely than Republicans to say this.