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Millennials: Most Racially Diverse Generation in U.S. History

<p>U.S. Millennials Are More Detached From Institutions, But Very Socially Connected.</p>
Image:  A general view of a crowd
A general view of a crowd at the One World Concert at Syracuse University on Oct. 9, 2012 in Syracuse, New York. Larry Busacca / Getty Images for Syracuse University file

Today's Millennials - young adults ages 18 to 33 - are the most racially diverse generation in U.S. history. About 43 percent are non-white, and this is due in large part to the wave of largely Latino and Asian immigration in the last decades.

The Millennial generation is pretty unattached to organized religion or politics, but they are connected through social media. They are socially liberal. And though they worry about the economy, they are optimistic. The findings are part of a Pew Research Center survey released Friday.

Here are some takeaways on U.S. Millennials:

Social issues, lifestyle and technology:

-69 percent support legalizing marijuana - up from 34 percent 8 years ago

-68 percent favor same-sex marriage - up from 44 percent in 2004

-47 percent of 2012 births to Millennial moms were non-marital

-58 percent say rising share of children raised by single parents is not good

-56 percent believe abortion should be legal in all or most cases

-50 percent say more interracial marriage is good for society

-26 percent are married

-81 percent are on Facebook - their median friend count is 250

-55 percent have taken a "selfie"

Institutions, government's role and the economy:

-Three-in-ten (29 percent) are not affiliated with any religion, 64 percent don't consider themselves religious

-Just 19 percent say most people can be trusted

-Half do not identify with a political party, and just three-in-ten think there is much difference between the political parties.

-Yet half of Independents identify or lean Democratic, while 34 percent lean Republican.

-Just 30 percent view Congress favorably - down from 68 percent in 2004

-55 percent favor a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants

-54 percent think it is the federal government's responsibility to ensure health care coverage for all

-71 percent say young people face greater economic challenges than their parents, yet more than 80 percent believe they will earn enough money to live the lives they want.

-55 percent say country's better days are ahead

White versus non-white Millennials

-More than 7-in-10 (71 percent) of non-white Millennials (including Latinos) lean toward a bigger government, while only 21 percent say they want smaller government. Among white Millennials, only 39 percent favor bigger government

-68 percent of non-white Millennials believe government should provide health care for all, compared to 44 percent of white Millennials

-67 percent of non-white Millennials give President Barack Obama high marks, compared to 34 percent of white Millennials