what is gen z age range

Gen Z is most commonly defined as people born between 1997 and 2012, which makes them roughly ages 11–29 in 2026, depending on the source.

What is Gen Z’s age range?

Most major demographers and research groups today place Generation Z’s birth years as:

• 1997 to 2012.

From that, their age range is:

• Around 11 to 29 years old in 2026 (you’ll see some sources say 11–26, some 14–29, or 13–28, but they’re all built off 1997–2012).

So if you were born in any year from 1997 up to and including 2012, you’re typically counted as Gen Z.

Why there’s slight confusion

Different outlets and writers sometimes quote slightly different “current age” ranges:

• Some say 13–28 in 2025.

• Others say 11–26.

• Another recent piece pegs Gen Z as 14–29 in 2026.

They’re all using roughly the same birth-year bracket (1997–2012) but rounding ages differently or updating at different calendar points.

Quick reference table

Below is a simple HTML table since you asked for tables in that format:

html

<table>
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>Item</th>
      <th>Details (2026)</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td>Common Gen Z birth years</td>
      <td>1997–2012 [web:1][web:3][web:7][web:9]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Approximate Gen Z age range</td>
      <td>About 11–29 years old in 2026 (varies slightly by source) [web:3][web:5][web:7]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Generation before Gen Z</td>
      <td>Millennials (born 1981–1996) [web:1][web:7][web:9]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Generation after Gen Z</td>
      <td>Gen Alpha (often defined as starting after 2012) [web:1][web:7]</td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

How this shows up in “latest news” and forums

When you see “Gen Z” mentioned in money, work, or culture stories in 2025–2026, they’re usually talking about:

• Teens in school, college students, and people in their early to late 20s entering or settling into the workforce.

• A cohort described as “digital natives,” heavily shaped by social media, smartphones, and recent global events.

On forums and trending discussions, you’ll often see debates about:

• Whether younger Gen Z (teens) should really be grouped with older Gen Z (late 20s).
• Where exactly Gen Z ends and Gen Alpha begins, since the lower boundary is still being refined.

TL;DR: For most practical purposes right now, “Gen Z” means anyone born from 1997–2012 , roughly early teens to late twenties in 2026.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.