World Population
How many people shared the planet
people on Earth when they were born
people on Earth when you were born
By the time your generation arrived, the world had gained 2.18 billion more people. Today it stands at 8.2B - 3.1B more since you were born.
🇺🇸 United States Leadership
Who was in charge
President of United States
President of United States
🇺🇸 Life Expectancy
How long a generation could expect to live
at birth in United States
at birth in United States
Your generation can expect 5.3 years longer on average than the previous one. The gap between the longest- and shortest-lived countries narrowed from 36.8 years to 32.9 years.
🇺🇸 Economy - GDP Per Capita
Real purchasing power at birth
United States - in today's dollars
United States - in today's dollars
All figures adjusted to 2024 dollars. A positive shift means real economic growth, not just inflation.
Economy - Median Household Income (US)
What a typical family earned
median household income in today's dollars
median household income in today's dollars
Figures are in 2024 dollars. This shows whether typical families actually got ahead - adjusted for inflation.
Housing Affordability (US)
How many years of income to buy a home
years of median income to buy median home
years of median income to buy median home
Lower ratio means more affordable. A ratio of 3 means a median home cost 3 years of median salary.
Everyday Prices
What things cost in the US - in today's dollars
All prices adjusted to 2024 dollars. A negative change means something got cheaper in real terms.
🎵 Music
Top Song
by Domenico Modugno
by George Michael
🏆 Film
Oscar Best Picture
dir. David Lean
dir. Bernardo Bertolucci
📺 Television
Most-watched TV show
CBS
NBC
💻 Technology
The defining tech moment
NASA founded; United States launches its first satellite, Explorer 1, in respons...
First worm spreads across the internet; CD-ROM becomes a mainstream computer per...
💾 Storage
Average hard drive capacity
typical computer storage
typical computer storage
📱 Mobile
Mobile phone subscribers worldwide
subscribers globally
subscribers globally
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What was happening when each generation arrived
1958
Explorer 1, the first successful US satellite, launched - marking America's entry into the Space Race
Nikita Khrushchev becomes Soviet Premier as well as First Secretary, consolidating power
US Congress establishes NASA in response to Soviet space achievements
Charles de Gaulle becomes President of France; new Fifth Republic constitution adopted
1988
Winter Olympics in Calgary feature Eddie 'The Eagle' Edwards and the Jamaican bobsled team, captivating the world
Iran Air Flight 655 shot down by US Navy over the Persian Gulf, killing all 290 aboard
Iran-Iraq War ends after eight years with over one million dead, with no clear winner and borders unchanged
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie, Scotland, killing all 259 aboard and 11 on the ground
The Year That Shaped You
The music, movies, and events of your coming-of-age year hit differently. This is the world each generation stepped into as adults.
1976
When they turned 18
2006
When you turned 18
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