Revealed: how Londoners vary from generation to generation

Age may be only a number, but it can reveal more than you might think. Here’s how Londoners of different generations differ, according to our new Time Out Index survey of more than 5,000 people in the capital.

Age 18-27

Most likely to live in Clapham.
Drinking habits More fond of cocktails than older generations.
In a job 89 percent.

This lot are also feeling all the feels: they’re the happiest but also the most stressed, lonely and sleep-deprived!

They’re seriously prepared to queue for food: nearly half of them had lined up for a meal in the last week.

They spend the least on a night out but the most on a cup of coffee. And they care the most about affordability.

The youngest generation of adult Londoners is almost twice as likely to be veggie and three times more likely to be vegan than the oldest.

They’re into socialising on and offline: most can’t get through the week without checking social media and a chat with a friend, and 14 percent said they want going out in London to be more Instagrammable.

But that has a flipside: 84 have felt pressure to socialise and 80 percent have experienced the fear of missing out.

Age 28-37

Most likely to live in Hackney.
Drinking habits More likely than other age groups to get a round of beers in.
In a job 95 percent.

Foodie alert! This generation are the biggest fans of takeaways, brunch and restaurants generally.

These young professionals work the longest hours (one-and-a-half hours a week more than average). Unsurprisingly, they’re also the most addicted to coffee: more than half say they can’t get through the week without it.

They have the most sex! Nearly three quarters said they’d got lucky in the last month.

They’re most likely to be cutting down on alcohol: 15 percent are trying to drink less, and they want going out in London to be less boozy than other generations.

They also want going out to be more mindful and they’re more likely than any other age group to meditate or practise mindfulness. Ommmm…

Age 38-57

Most likely to live in Islington.
Drinking habits Most likely to favour a nice bottle of wine.
In a job 90 percent.

These Londoners are the least happy demographic, but appreciate London the most: they’re likeliest to say the city is creative, beautiful, green and convenient.

They also rate London culture, music and nightlife more highly than younger people do.

They’re almost twice as likely as under-38s to say they couldn’t get through the week without a night out. Conveniently, they have have a third fewer hangovers than younger Londoners.

After more years in work, they’re able to spend £18.44 more on a night out on average than the youngest age group.

They’re more likely to eat meat than younger people: 16 percent are reducing their intake, compared to 21 percent of under-38s.

Age 58-plus

Most likely to live in Islington, Greenwich or Ealing.
Drinking habits The most teetotal generation.
In a job 52 percent.

The oldest generation of Londoners are way more likely to volunteer: more than twice as many of them had given their time in the last month than 18 to 27-year-olds.

They’re most reliant on emails – six out of ten can’t get through the week without checking their inbox.

They’re most likely to say the city is friendly but least likely to say it’s fun.

With fewer of them working, they’re most likely to go to a concert, an art gallery, the theatre or the cinema.

They spend the most on a night out: £70.18 on average.

They’re most in need of tea to get through the week.

All illustrations by Ben Boothman.

Find out what else we discovered about Londoners, from our drinking habits to our sex lives, in the Time Out Index results.