- Spending Goes Up: American teens spent 2% more in early 2023 versus 2022, with boys’ share up by 6%. Food dominated male expenditure (24%), while girls put 28% of their money towards clothing. Of the $2,419 this cohort spends annually, 60% comes from their parents. Meanwhile, 40% of teenagers surveyed are currently employed part-time.
When it comes to digital transactions, 39% opt for Apple Pay and 25% for Cash App. For peer-to-peer payments, US teens prefer Cash App (41%) and Venmo (39%), while PayPal’s Pay in 4 offering is the top Buy Now, Pay Later service. - Causes for Concern: American teenagers have the environment firmly on their minds, with 19% saying it’s their top political concern. Racial equality (9%), abortion (6%), inflation (6%), and Alaskan oil drilling venture the Willow Project (4%) follow as issues most important to this demographic. See more on youngsters’ political views and activism in 10 Youth Trends 2023.
- Algo Alliances: TikTok is the top social media platform for 37% of teens, followed by Snapchat (27%) and Instagram (23%). The survey lists British-American kickboxer Andrew Tate as this cohort’s second-favourite influencer, after American influencer Alix Earle, a slight shift from Tate's top ranking last year. This underlines the enduring appeal of strong, alpha-male figures among young men, which haven’t seemed to budge much after Tate’s arrest and criminal charges in Romania in December (see Refining Modern Masculinity).
- Sporty Dress Codes: Reflecting our Gen Z style collective Sports-Luxe Sartorialists, Nike remains a favourite brand for apparel (33%). Canada’s Lululemon ranked third (6%), highlighting athleisure’s appeal to teens. Meanwhile, 57% of respondents say Amazon is their preferred online shopping destination, but off-price and second-hand retail are increasingly popular channels among this demographic.