Gen X Speaks Up: The Overlooked Generation Navigating Real Estate and Family Pressures

In the ongoing conversation about wealth transfer and homeownership, Generation X—the cohort sandwiched between baby boomers and millennials—is increasingly making its voice heard, Business Insider reports.

Often labeled the “forgotten generation,” Gen Xers are navigating the complex realities of aging parents, dependent adult children, and their own uncertain financial futures, all while being largely overlooked in media narratives about housing and generational wealth.

A recent article about millennials inheriting real estate from baby boomers sparked unexpected feedback—not from the younger or older generations it focused on, but from Gen Xers who felt left out of the conversation. One reader, Amy Reed, a 52-year-old from Ohio, wrote to emphasize that Gen X is already shouldering the burdens the article predicted millennials would face. As members of the so-called “Sandwich Generation,” Gen Xers are managing parental care while continuing to support their adult children—often with little recognition.

“I know Gen X is the forgotten generation,” Reed said. “It just hurts when I’m the one dealing with this.”

Demographically, Generation X—those born between 1965 and 1980—falls between the two most discussed groups in the housing market. Boomers own 41% of US real estate by value, and millennials, the country’s largest generational cohort, own about 20%. Gen Xers, by comparison, own roughly 29%, according to data from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) and the US Census Bureau.

Gen X was also the hardest hit by the 2008 housing crisis. Many purchased their first homes during the housing bubble of the early 2000s, and by 2014, over a quarter owed more on their mortgages than their homes were worth—more than any other generation at the time. Although most have since recovered financially, many still feel squeezed between the economic demands of two generations.

Jessica Lautz, deputy chief economist at NAR, notes that Gen X faces substantial financial pressure. A recent survey found that about 40% of Gen Z adults who live independently still receive financial assistance from their parents—many of whom are Gen Xers.

“There’s a lot of financial pressure on this generation,” Lautz said.

Reed exemplifies that reality. Her divorced parents, both in their 80s and with health concerns, will soon require senior living arrangements. She’s already preparing to handle their properties and decades of accumulated belongings. At the same time, she and her husband provide monthly financial support to their two adult children, who cannot afford to buy homes.

“I work full time, my husband works full time, and we just kind of do what we can,” Reed said. “You just balance it, because you don’t have a choice.”

Despite their contributions to the economy and family stability, Gen X has often flown under the radar in cultural and economic discourse. Demographers suggest this is partly due to their smaller size relative to boomers and millennials, and partly due to their self-reliant, understated reputation.

“The boomers kind of sucked up all the air in the room,” said Eric Finnigan, a demographer at John Burns Research and Consulting. “Millennials get all this attention as the children of the boomers. Gen X has this reputation as kind of being on their own.”

Still, as Gen Xers increasingly confront caregiving challenges, support their children, and plan their own retirements, they are beginning to demand more acknowledgment—and resources—to help manage the load.

“I’m going to keep doing what I’m doing,” Reed said. “And you know, how society views my generation? Whatever. I can’t change it.”