Public Viewpoint: Generational Differences in Impact


Released April 15, 2020

Report | Webinar | Charts

Two-thirds of Americans remain concerned they may lose their jobs. About half are worried COVID-19 will have a negative impact on their finances.

But as the crisis marches on, these emotions and concerns are slightly less intense than they were a week earlier — and most Americans also believe the pandemic’s effect on their lives won’t last beyond October.

Compared to other generations, millennials appear to be bearing more of the brunt of the impact. In addition to being more likely to lose work and income, they and members of Generation X are most likely to say they would need more education or training to replace a lost job.

This nationally representative survey* of 1,000 adults is updated weekly and designed to track the impact of the pandemic on American lives, work, and education. The intent is to provide insights to the education and training providers, policymakers, employers, and individual Americans who are navigating the crisis.

Most Americans (55%) have either lost jobs or had their hours or income reduced, but millennials have felt that impact more than other generations.


 

The majority of adults believe that for them personally, the effects of the crisis will not last longer than six months.


 

Nearly two-thirds of Americans (65%) are worried they will lose their jobs, down from 70% one week ago.


 

One-third of Americans believe they would need more education to find a comparable job if they were to lose theirs. That belief is most pronounced among Generation X and millennials.

In the news from Strada