The Art Of Being A Millennial: There's Only 6 Millennial Personality Types — Which One Are You?
These six millennial archetypes reveal the quirks that shape how you live and love.
Grace Hilty | Unsplash Everyone knows what a millennial is, but they might not realize that there are different types of millennials out there, just like there are different personality types. While all millennials were born from the 1980s and early 2000s, they all have unique personalities and traits that distinguish Gen-Y from every other generation.
According to Time Magazine, there are approximately 80 million millennials in the U.S. today. That’s almost 25% of the U.S.’s total population! It’s no wonder that there are so many people talking about millennials. If you’re wondering what kind of millennial personality type you are, then wonder no more. The following list of the six types of millennials in the world explains each type of millennial in detail. Which millennial are you?
There are only 6 millennial personality types — which one are you?
1. The cautious millennial
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These millennials are charitable, but not before they do their research. They’re always looking for new information about consumer products, news, and the global economy. Studies show that more than half of millennials say they "almost always research before buying," which is significantly higher than other generations.
However, they’re like prowlers looking for food; they won’t make it known that they’re on the hunt for facts, but they will scour social media sites for juicy factoids. They truly believe they can make the world a better place. Researchers revealed that 87% of millennials believe it's important to work for organizations that engage in socially responsible actions, and three-quarters of millennials consider themselves philanthropists.
2. The old-school millennial
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If you’re old-school, you prefer to do things the old-fashioned way — on paper instead of tablets and in books instead of online. You’ll likely be self-motivated and highly independent, with the least amount of time spent on your phone of all the millennials on this list. You value in-person connections and cannot understand how to master the intricacies of texting, much less TikTok.
As life coach Mitzi Bockmann points out, many millennials struggle to conceive of having emotionally important conversations face-to-face, but she notes that "communicating about emotions via text is not only a huge waste of time, but it's also totally counterproductive." Your friends might tease you for being a bit behind the times, but you know that some things are simply better done the traditional way.
3. The green millennial
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Green millennials are conscious of the impact they have on the world. They are proponents of self-care and are often seen participating in volunteer activities that promote global change or help stop climate change. They can also be seen purchasing organic and healthy produce from stores and markets, and likely attended college.
A survey by the Pew Research Center revealed that 75% of millennials are eco-conscious to the point of changing their buying habits to favor environmentally-friendly products. Younger Americans, particularly Millennials and Generation Z, stand out for their high levels of engagement with climate issues and are often at the forefront of climate activism.
4. The tech expert millennial
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They’re at their best when they’re around technology (i.e., computers, laptops, phones, tablets, etc.). They’ve mastered everything with a memory chip and love to talk about it since we’re all living in the golden age of technology. Typically, they make more than their millennial counterparts because of their intense interest and skill in tech.
The average salary for tech professionals in the United States reached $112,521 in 2024, showing resilience and growth even amid economic uncertainty. Growing up during the digital revolution, this type of millennial witnessed the evolution from dial-up internet to smartphones and became fluent in adapting to each new wave of innovation.
5. The millennial mom
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Family-oriented doesn’t even begin to describe these dedicated moms. Millennial mothers somehow have enough time during the day to work out, make dinner, finish laundry, and play with their baby without breaking a sweat. These moms are extremely social and engaged in their kids’ lives (maybe a bit too much at times) out of love.
Millennials approach parenting with the same level of planning, purpose, and professionalism as they would their next career move, with 47% actively reading up on and selecting a specific parenting style. Studies reveal that millennial mothers aspire to be omnipresent in their children's lives, with many opting to prioritize full-time parenthood over their careers.
6. The anti-millennial
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By definition, these millennials are everything that traditional millennials aren’t. They’re conservative, incredibly frugal, and focused on comfortable pleasures.
Millennials are actually more likely to identify as conservative than either Generation X or Baby Boomers were at the same age, according to Jean Twenge, professor of psychology at San Diego State University. Twenge noted that "high school seniors are more likely to identify as political conservatives now compared to 10 years ago," which goes against the common view of millennials as uniformly liberal.
Instead of bending themselves to appease the world, they bend the world to work for them by purchasing non-green products out of convenience and other items just because they would like to avoid potential complications. They’re still millennials, of course, but they’re just a bit different than their brothers and sisters of their generation.
Meaghan Summers is a writer who covers astrology, pop culture, and relationship topics.
