Generations

The growth in readership online has not offset the decline in print for newspapers.

Two-thirds of those ages 33 to 44 do their banking online and 80% have gone shopping on the internet.

This presentation contains data about how Baby Boomers use the internet. It charts the rise of broadband, wireless connections, and a variety of internet activities, including e-commerce.

This year, 66% of those under age 30 voted for Barack Obama making the disparity between young voters and other age groups larger than in any presidential election since exit polling began in 1972.

The proportion of voters identifying with the Democratic Party has grown significantly since the 2004 election, and the shift has been particularly dramatic among younger voters.

America's baby boomers are in a collective funk. Members of the large generation born from 1946 to 1964 are more downbeat about their lives than are adults who are younger or older.

Wealth holds a great attraction for the young, according to a recent Pew Social Trends survey, with 20% of all adults under age 30 saying being wealthy is a top priority for them -- easily the largest proportion of any age group.

While Barack Obama's appeal to the young coincides with their increasing Democratic alignment, older voters do not show the greater allegiance to the GOP that might explain their relative reluctance to support him.

Trends in the opinions of America's youngest voters are often a barometer of shifting political winds. And that appears to be the case in 2008. Use the interactive tool to track generational differences in party affiliation over time.

Beyond the vote, the exit polls point to interesting differences -- and similarities -- between younger and older Democratic voters.