U S Department of Education

America's Young Adults U S Department of Education

The well-being of young adults in the United States today remains an area of key interest to the public and policy-makers alike. This age group faces the well-known challenges of achieving financial and social independence while forming their own households at a time of greater economic uncertainty than in the past. Better understanding of the achievements and needs of these young adults will inform approaches to best support this exciting and challenging transition to adulthood. Over the 20 years since it held its first organizational meetings, the Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics (the Forum) has established a tradition of cooperation and commitment to understanding the challenges and opportunities facing children and families today. This report focuses on key themes that are of particular relevance in describing the demographic status and well-being of today's young adults against a backdrop of the traditional milestones of adulthood-Education; Economic Circumstances; Family Formation; Civic, Social, and Personal Behavior; and Health and Safety.