Are Gen Zs Habits Reshaping Society? The Statistics You Can’t Ignore

Born along the arrival of the Internet to our households, Generation Z has become one of the largest and most unique generations up to date. Currently making up 21% of the population of the US, Gen Z (people born between 1997-2012) has grown in an environment where smartphones, streaming platforms and social media are nothing out of the ordinary. Also, they endured the COVID-19 pandemic during their formative years, shaping the way they interact with society. But, how is this tech-savvy generation influencing the current market?

In today’s article we’ll analyze and share the latest Generation Z stats and trends and see how this generation is going to shape 2025.

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Top Generation Z Statistics (2025)

• There are 69.31 million Gen Zs living in the United States.
• Instagram and YouTube are the preferred social media platform by Generation Z in the US.
• 40% of Generation Z suffers from stress or anxiety.
• The cost of living is Generation X’s greatest concern.
• Over 50% of Gen Z makes their purchases following advice from influencers.
• 59% of Gen Z thinks that AI will eliminate jobs.
• Generation Z uses social media as primary information sources.
• Gen Zs value more user-generated content than traditional advertising.

Generation Z Demographics

We call Generation Z people born between 1997 and 2012, making them a very unique generation. Born in the digital era, Gen Z englobes a very varied group of people that go from high schoolers to graduated College students ready to enter the workforce or start a family. Here’s some interesting facts about them.

There’s an average of 69.31 million Generation Zs living in the United States

According to the US Census, there’s over 69 million Gen Zs in the United states only. These numbers are surprising,since it means that over 20% of the population of the US belong to this generation.

Gen Z is more racially and ethnically diverse than previous generations

According to a recent report made by Pew Research, Generation Z leads the changing racial and ethnic community of the US. A bare majority of the surveyed (52%) are non-Hispanic white, while 25% are Hispanic, 14% are Black, 6% are Asian and 3% are a mix of races.

Gen Z is reconsidering the need for higher education

Generation Z are less likely to want to go to College than Millenials were 20 years ago. Only less than half of Gen Z teens (49%) say they would like to attend to College full-time. Numbers rise to 74% if we include those who would like to attend College part-time while working. Still, this is 11% less than the results shown by Millenials. 

These are the full results of the survey, with Gen Z replies compared to what Millenials answered two decades ago:

What would you like to do after leaving high school?

• Attend College full-time: Gen Z (49%), Millennials (53%).
• Work and go to College part-time: Gen Z (25%), Millennials (32%).
• Work full time: Gen Z (11%), Millennials (4%).
• Join the armed services: Gen Z (3%), Millennials (6%).
• Some other activity: Gen Z (12%), Millennials (4%).

48% of Generation Z has entered the workforce

Almost half of Gen Zs have currently entered the workforce. According to the data gathered by GWI, most Generation Z in the US have either a part-time or full-time job (48%) while only 35% of them are still students. It’s also interesting to point out how only 16% of Gen Zs have children and just 10% are married.

Generation Z and Social Issues

Gen Z is known to be a generation that has strong feelings about the environment, politics as well as social justice. Here are some interesting facts and trends about them.

What is Gen Z Concerned With?

According to a survey made by Deloitte, 34% of Generation Z said that their biggest concern is currently the cost of living. This holds the biggest percentage of any other issue of the survey. In second position we find unemployment (21%), climate change (20%), mental health (19%) and personal safety (17%).

Almost 50% of Generation Z is Fighting Against Climate Change

Climate concerns are an important part of the life of a Generation Zer. The data gathered by  Deloitte shows how 46% of Gen Z are currently changing the industry or have changed jobs in order to fight climate change. 54% of them are also putting pressure on their employers to take more environmental action. It is also relevant how 64% of Gen Z is willing to pay more money for environmentally sustainable products and 25% of them have ceased relationships with businesses who perform unsustainable practices.

(Source: Deloitte)

32% of Generation Z are Involved in Activism or Social Justice Work

Nearly one-third of Gen Zers are regularly engaged in some sort of activism or social justice work. That’s 8% more than Millenials were, showing Gen Z’s commitment to societal change. 

According to a survey of 1000 Americans made by United Way, 51% of Gen Zers have attended a rally of protest that supports a specific social issue. The same report states that 66% of Generation Z make most of their activism online, while only 34% take place in person. In fact, 33$ of Gen Zers have currently reached out to a politician to lobby for a specific cause or social issue. Finally, 61% of Gen Zers volunteer for a cause that is meaningful to them at least once a year.

Which Causes Are Gen Z Most Passionate About?

According to United Way, the primary causes that resonate the most with Generation Z are economic, social and environmental issues. The recent data shows how the top concern is the cost of living (57%), healthcare access (55%) and affordable housing (52%). Other significant issues include climate change (47%) and LGTQ+ rights (39%).

Here’s a breakdown of the results:

1. Cost of living- 57%
2. Healthcare access- 55%
3. Affordable housing- 52%
4. Climate change initiatives- 47%
5. Gun control- 42%
6. Income inequality- 40%
7. Racial equity- 39%
8. LGBTQ+ rights- 39%
9. Education access- 38%
10. Food insecurity- 37%

Generation Z Mental Health Stats

A recent report made by the Thriving Center of Psychology shows that almost half of Generation Z (40%) are going through mental struggles and issues. While this is an improvement from the data gathered one year ago (46%), it’s still a very high number. The data also shows that the main causes of this mental discomfort are health and finance issues. On the other end of the spectrum, only 19% of Gen Zs aged 18-26 consider themselves very happy.

It’s also relevant to point out how 55% of Gen Zs and Millennials have been to therapy in the last years and 1 in every 4 are planning to stay there forever. The top reasons to seek out treatment are stress and depression. Finally, nearly 18.8% (one in every five) Gen Z high school students have considered suicide.

Here’s a detailed view on the relationship of Gen Z and suicide.

• Have considered suicide: 18.8%
• Made a suicide plan: 15.7%
• Attempted suicide: 8.9%
• Made a suicide attempt that required medical intervention: 2.5%

(Source: CDC)

Generation Z Social Media Stats

Gen Z are the first generation that grew up with social media being a normal part of their everyday lives. 

What Social Media Platforms Do Gen Z Use?

While TikTok is currently undergoing a popularity boost among Gen Zers, Instagram and YouTube remain the preferred platforms for this generation. If we look at the results in percentages, 65% of Generation Z used Meta’s Instagram in 2024 and 63% were using YouTube. Close behind we find TikTok, with 58% of the survey’s respondents choosing the short-form video sharing platforms.

Here’s the complete breakdown of the results:

1. Instagram: 65%
2. YouTube: 63%
3. TikTok: 58%
4. Facebook: 56%
5. SnapChat: 47%
6. X/Twitter: 28%
7. Pinterest: 27%
8. Reddit: 18%
9. Twitch: 15%
10. LinkedIn: 11%

How Much Time does Generation Z Spend on Social Media?

A recent report made by Morning Consult shows how Gen Z spends an average of 4 hours per day on social media platforms. While this time is extremely high (it’s one third of the waking hours), Gen Z is also a generation very concerned about their screen time usage. In fact, 75% of Gen Z actively monitors their screen time.

50% of Gen Zers Base their Purchases on Influencers

Social Media has become a shopping tool for most Gen Z. According to Klarna, 52% of Gen Zers decide to make a purchase based on the opinion of an influencer they follow online. That’s considerably more than the purchases they make through normal retail adverts (43%). This makes Gen Z the only generation where influencers hold a greater impact in shopping than normal retail.

TikTok is Experiencing a Meteoric Rise Among Generation Z

While Instagram is still more popular among Gen Zers, TikTok’s popularity is boosting in recent years. The short-form video platform has been attracting more and more Gen Zers and is currently being used for a wider range of purposes than just entertainment.

Since 2020, there’s been a 104% increase in Gen Z using TikTok to find out information about products and brands. But that’s not all, there’s also been a 90% increase in Gen Zers that use TikTok as their main source of news. The platform has also increased 69%  in use to message friends and 38% in sharing photos and videos.

What is Gen Z’s Favorite Social Media Content?

A recent report made by Morning Consult shows how 67% of Gen Zers love watching storytime videos. This type of video usually shows the content creator explaining some situation or episode from their life, sharing their feelings and thus creating an illusion of closeness with the viewer.

Following close we have review videos, with 53% of Generation Z users watching these because they are useful to make new purchases. In a similar fashion there are haul videos (videos where influencers show the latest items they bought), with 40% of Gen Z watching them on a regular basis. In the last position we find Get Ready With Me (GRWM) videos, where the content creator shows a video or pictures with the process of getting ready for an activity. While being the least liked type of content, 37% of Gen-Z admit watching them on a daily basis.

Conclusion

Generation Z is unlike any generation that came before them. They were born in a tech-based era where the Internet was a normal part of everyday’s life and screens have been surrounding them since they were born. With social networks playing an important part in their lives, Gen Z are a diverse generation particularly concerned with social issues and climate change. Willing to use any opportunity at hand to change the world as we know it, Generation Z will reshape future generations in ways we still can’t imagine.