The Pew Research Center released a survey report that examines how young people ages 18 to 25 (born between 1981 & 1988) view their lives, futures, and politics. They are called Generation Next and only 68% of them think their generation is unique and distinct.

Religion

• 44% Protestant (52% in ‘88)
• 25% Catholic (29% in ‘88)
• 20% No Religion :: Atheist :: Agnostic (11% in ‘88)
• 7% Other (6% in ‘88)
• 2% Jewish (2% in ‘88)
• 2% Don’t Know (0% in ‘88)Â

Most Important Problems Facing Them

• 30% money :: finances :: debt
• 18% college :: education
• 16% career :: job
• 12% no problems
• 7% family :: relationships

Who They Admire Most

• 25% people they know (teacher :: boss :: family member)
• 19% no one
• 14% entertainers (athletes :: singers :: actors)
• 8% political leaders
• 6% spiritual leaders

Lifestyle

• 85% of men exercise
  78% of women exercise
• 51% of men play video games
  21% of women play video games
• 48% of men drink alcohol
  34% of women drink alcohol
• 37% of men smoke cigarettes
  25% of women smoke cigarettes
• 10% of men take illegal drugs
  7% of women take illegal drugs

Other Statistics

• 80% (roughly) say they talked to their parents in the past day
  73% see their parents at least once a week
  50% see their parents daily
• 73% say their parents have helped them financially in the past year
• 58% think homosexuality should be encouraged
  32% think it should be discouraged
• 51% say they sent or received a text message over the phone in the past day
• 50% (roughly) say they have either gotten a tattoo, dyed their hair an untraditional color, or had a body piercing in a place other than their ear lobe
• 48% identified more with the Democratic Party
  35% affiliated more with the GOP
• 40%+ have created a personal profile on a social networking site
• 12% do not use the Internet

The full report is a comprehensive analysis of Generation Next and has plenty of more insights into their generation.

[via Monday Morning Insight]