Millennials Most Interested in Education, Health Care, and the Economy, Study Finds

Title: 2016 Millennial Impact Report, Part I

Organization: Achieve

Summary: The social issues that interest millennials most are education, health care, and the economy, according to a new survey. More than half had signed a petition or donated money in support of a social issue of concern in the last month, and more than a third had participated in a demonstration.

Since 2009, the Millennial Impact Report has gauged the values, interests, and charitable-giving habits of members of the millennial generation, defined in the study as those born between 1980 and 2000. The annual survey is conducted by Achieve, a company that does cause-related research and marketing, in partnership with the Case Foundation.

This year’s study, broken into two parts, measures millennials’ political affiliations and attitudes. Part I reflects responses from 1,050 people. Part II will be conducted after the presidential election in November.

Among the findings:

• Of women respondents, 48 percent identify as liberal and 44 identify as conservative. For males, the figures are 38 percent liberal and 56 percent conservative.
• When asked to rank the three social issues that interest them most, 29 percent of respondents included education, 25 percent named health care, and 24 percent listed the economy.
• Asked whether they think they and their peers can help make the United States a better place to live, 23 percent said they could have a small impact, 37 percent said a moderate impact, and 30 percent said a big impact.
• In the month before being questioned, 64 percent of respondents had signed a petition regarding a social issue they cared about, 52 percent had donated money, 46 percent had volunteered, and 36 percent had taken part in a demonstration. Men were more likely than women to have done any of the activities.
• 61 percent had posted on social media about issues they care about at least once in the previous week.