Boomers at Midlife 2004: The AARP Life Stage Study

In 2002, AARP commissioned Princeton Survey Research Associates International (PSRAI) to undertake an annual survey that would explore what the baby boomers-one of the largest and most path-breaking generations in American history-had to say about their lives, their hopes and their expectations for the future...

This year, 2004, is the third year of this comprehensive study of boomers' lives and is largely a replication of the 2003 and 2002 surveys. We conducted a 25-minute telephone survey re-examining the seven broad life areas that were addressed in the original 2002 survey: relationships with family and friends, personal finances, religious or spiritual life, work or career, physical health, mental health and leisure activities. We also asked boomers to tell us how well they are doing in each of these areas, where they hope to be five years from now, how likely they are to achieve their goals and what the barriers are to achieving these goals.

In this report we present the findings of the 2004 survey and compare them to the results of the 2003 and 2002 surveys where appropriate. In addition to providing a snapshot of boomers' attitudes about their lives and hopes for the future, the data provided by this multi-year survey allows us to see how the boomer generation's lives and aspirations change as they age.

-- from the Executive Summary of Boomers at Midlife 2004: The AARP Life Stage Study

For further information, please, contact Carol Keegan at 202-434-6286.

• Executive Summary (PDF, 10 pages)
• Full Report (PDF, 100 pages)
• Appendix A: Methodological Report for National Survey (PDF, 10 pages)
• Appendix B: Annotated Questionnaire (PDF, 62 pages)