Millennials recently surpassed baby boomers to become America’s largest generation. There were more than 75 million people between the ages of 18 and 34 living in the United States in 2015, with a new census report showing just how different millennials are from generations past.

There are many milestones that define adulthood – moving out of your parents’ home, getting a job, starting a family – but the most important rite of passage among Americans today is getting an education. Data shows more than 60 percent of people over 18 say finishing school is extremely important to becoming an adult. 

Millennials are the most educated generation in American history but they also have more debt than ever before. In 1989, 17 percent of young families had student debt. By 2013 that number had ballooned to 41 percent. 

It’s no surprise many millennials - one in three - live at home with their parents. Marrying and having children also ranks lower among their priorities - with many delaying it until their 30s and 40s. 

David Grasso, who works for a millennial advocacy group, says the changes among younger generations are both cultural and economic. “A lot of us are more skeptical about marriage and about settling down but additionally it’s hard for us to settle down. Real estate is much more expensive, education is much more expensive than it used to be and good quality jobs, despite what the unemployment rate says, are not really readily available to most millennials.”

 Millennials have been accused of being spoiled and entitled, but experts say it’s important to remember that they came of age at a time when the US faced its biggest economic crisis since the Great Depression, making it more difficult for many to achieve the same milestones taken for granted in previous generations.