In Blue Sky Boomers, older, empty-nesting couples and singles have settled in small towns and waterfront resorts in anticipation of their retirement years. The three segments in this group are about evenly divided between married couples and widowed and divorced individuals. More than 80 percent are between the ages of 50 and 65. Most are white and have high-school educations and working-class sensibilities. These households tend to work in sales and service-sector jobs, supporting a resort economy in towns that offer weekend getaways and longer summer vacations for wealthier city dwellers.
6.11 percent of U.S. households
| Laid-back baby boomers | Middle-class |
| Empty-nesters | Discretionary incomes |
| Conservative investors | Traditional family values |
| Outdoor activities | Clubs and volunteering |
| Pragmatic shoppers | Novel digital users |
Still relative newcomers to digital media, Blue Sky Boomers are becoming increasingly comfortable with the Internet. The majority has a desktop computer at home, and they use the Internet like a virtual library, visiting sites for information on subjects that are near to their hearts, like cars, cruises, fishing and medical information. They also go online for business purposes, including banking, trading stocks, and shopping. Though they're not completely comfortable with new technology - they're more likely to go online using dial-up access than a wireless connection or a mobile phone - they've made gunbroker.com, ebaymotors.com, seniorpeoplemeet.com and theanimalrescuesite.com some of their favorite sites.
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