What's Your Segment?

Whether you realize it or not, there are several companies gathering a tremendous amount of data about you. One such company is Acxiom which maintains consumer information on nearly every household in the U.S. (and has branched out to other countries). Acxiom combines tax records and public census data with transactional data from its clients (the corporations you deal with on a daily basis). Using this data, Acxiom has created a product called PersonicX which is a finely-grained household level segmentation system based on consumer and demographic characteristics.

The idea of such a classification system both interests and appalls me quite a bit, so I’ve done some research into the 70 segments and 21 life-stage groups.

Even though this data is proprietary, I’ve found the following information through publicly available sources (ordered by cluster number):

  1. Summit Estates: The wealthiest of all the clusters. In every sense, these families are enjoying the good life—luxury travel, entertainment and consumption of every kind are within easy reach. Middle-aged (36-56). (Group 11B – Boomer Barons)
  2. Established Elite: Late middle-aged (46-65) married home owners with no children living with them. They are wealthy and live in suburban and urban locations. (Group 15M – Mature Wealth)
  3. Corporate Clout: This exceedingly well educated group defines themselves as workaholics. Savvy investors who like to read Forbes and travel magazines, they are also heavy users of air travel and corporate credit cards. (Group 15M – Mature Wealth)
  4. Skyboxes & Suburbans: One of the best-educated and wealthiest clusters. They shop at upscale stores, spend time feathering their nest and adhere to regular fitness programs. Middle-aged (36-55). (Group 11B – Boomer Barons)
  5. Sitting Pretty: Late middle-aged (46-65), married home owners with no children in the home. They are wealthy, living in the outer-suburbs and towns. (Group 19M – Golden Years)
  6. Shooting Stars: Still relatively young at a mean age of 36, and with top rankings for income, college education, home value and net worth, these consumers have the world by the tail. (Group 7X – Cash & Careers)
  7. Leveraged Lifestyles: Middle-aged (36-55), married home owners with school-aged kids in the household. Primarily upper-middle income, living in the outer-suburbs and towns. (Group 11B – Boomer Barons)
  8. Full Steaming: Late middle-aged (55-64), both single and married home owners with no kids in the household. Primarily upper-middle income, living in the outer-suburbs and towns. (Group 19M – Golden Years)
  9. Platinum Oldies: Seniors (aged 66+), both single and married, who own their own homes with no kids in the household. They are wealthy, living in the outer-suburbs and towns. (Group 19M – Golden Years)
  10. Hard Chargers: This affluent group of single men and women between the ages of 30 and 45 primarily own their own homes in the suburbs. (Group 7X – Cash & Careers)
  11. Kids & Clout: Middle-aged (36-45) married home owners with school-aged children. They are affluent, living in the outer suburbs and towns. (Group 8X – Jumbo Families)
  12. Tots & Toys: Work and family consume these middle-aged (30-45) couples. They’re putting their college degrees into action with lucrative careers, while saving for their children’s education. (Group 8X – Jumbo Families)
  13. Solid Single Parents: Middle-aged (36-54) single parents who own their own homes with school-aged children. They are affluent and live in urban and suburban areas. (Group 12B – Flush Families)
  14. Career Centered Singles: The affluent members of this segment are late middle-aged (46-65) and single. They own their own homes in urban and suburban areas and have no kids. (Group 16M – Aging Upscales)
  15. Country Ways: Late middle-aged (45-65), married home owners with no kids in the household. Primarily upper-middle income in a rural location. (Group 16M – Aging Upscales)
  16. Country Single: Middle-aged (36-55) single home owners with no kids. They are upper-middle income, living in rural areas. (Group 14B – Our Turn)
  17. Apple Pie Families: Late middle-aged (46-55) married home owners with school-aged kids. Members of this group are upper-middle income, living in urban and suburban areas. (Group 12B – Flush Families)
  18. Married Sophisticates: Recently married young couples who are well educated and enjoy health upper-middle range incomes. They are almost all homeowners in upscale suburban neighborhoods. (*[Group 2Y
  19. Country Comfort: Middle-aged (36-55), married home-owners who have school-aged children in the household (big families, family-oriented) make up this group. Primarily upper-middle income in a rural location. (Group 8X – Jumbo Families)
  20. Dynamic Duos: Made-up of upper-middle income married couples who own their own home but don’t have children, the members of this cluster are between 36 and 45. (Group 7X – Cash & Careers)
  21. Children First: At a mean age of 25, they are already raising an average of 1.2 kids. Despite a nearly even split between married and single households, 100% show the presence of children. They earn upper-middle incomes and live in suburban areas. (Group 2Y – Taking Hold)
  22. Fun & Games: The upper-middle income members of this cluster are between the ages of 46 and 55, married with no kids, and own their own homes. (Group 14B – Our Turn)
  23. Acred Couples: Late middle-aged (56-65) married home owners with no kids. These upper-middle income earners live in the outer suburbs and towns. (Group 16M – Aging Upscales)
  24. Career Building: This cluster is made up of young, childless singles. They are a mix of mobile renters and first-time homeowners, living in condos and single-family houses. (Group 2Y – Taking Hold)
  25. Clubs & Causes: Consisting of both married and single upper-middle income folks, the members of this cluster are aged 66 to 75 with no children who own their own homes. (Group 20S – Active Elders)
  26. Savvy Singles: Young middle-aged (30-45) single renters and home owners with no kids. Primarily upper-middle income, living in urban and suburban areas. (Group 7X – Cash & Careers)
  27. Soccer & SUVs: This cluster consists of upper-middle income married couples between the ages of 36 and 45 who own their own home and have school-age kids. (Group 8X – Jumbo Families)
  28. Suburban Seniors: These aged seniors (76+) own their own homes and have no kids. They are a mix of single and married upper-middle income earners living in urban and suburban areas. (Group 20S – Active Elders)
  29. City Mixers: Middle-aged (36-45) single renters and home owners with no kids. Primarily middle income, they live in downtown metro areas. (Group 9B – Boomer Singles)
  30. Spouses & Houses: This cluster is dominated by middle-income, childless couples in their mid-20s. They are mainly high school grads who own their homes and tend to live in smaller second cities around the country. (Group 2Y – Taking Hold)
  31. Mid Americana: Married suburbanites. They are middle of the road in terms of education and income, although long tenure and high equity versus home values result in high net worth. (Group 14B – Our Turn)
  32. Downtown Boomer Couples: Late middle-aged (46-65) married home owners with no kids. They are middle income and live in downtown metro areas. (Group 14B – Our Turn)
  33. Urban Tenants: Late middle-aged (46-55), single renters with no kids. Located in downtown metro areas, they are middle income. (Group 14B – Our Turn)
  34. Outward Bound: Middle-aged (30-45), married home owners with no kids. Primarily middle income, living in rural locations. (*Group 3X
    • Transition Blues*)
  35. Solo & Stable: Middle-aged (36-45) single home owners with no kids. Primarily middle income, living in urban and suburban areas. (Group 9B – Boomer Singles)
  36. Raisin’ Grandkids: Seniors (aged 66+), both single and married home owners with kids of mixed ages in the household. Primarily middle income, living in suburband and urban areas. (Group 20S – Active Elders)
  37. Cartoons & Carpools: Middle-aged (30-45), married home owners with school-aged kids. Primarily middle income, living in urban and suburban areas. (Group 5X – Gen X Parents)
  38. Blue Collar Bunch: Late middle-aged (46-65) married home owners with school-aged kids. Primarily lower-middle income, living in urban and suburban areas. (Group 13B – True Blues)
  39. Early Parents: Young (18-29) single and married parents who either rent or own their residence with kids (mixed ages) at home. Primarily lower income, living in urban and suburban areas. (Group 1Y – Beginnings)
  40. The Great Outdoors: Late middle-aged (45-65), married home owners with no children in the household. Primarily lower-middle income in a rural location. (Group 18M – Mature Rustics)
  41. Trucks & Trailers: Middle-aged (30-45), both single and married renters and home owners with no kids. Primarily lower-middle income, living in rural areas. (Group 3X – Transition Blues)
  42. First Mortgage: Young middle-aged (30-35), single home owners with no kids. Primarily lower-middle income, living in urban and suburban areas. (Group 4X – Gen X Singles)
  43. Work & Causes: These lower-middle income singles own their own homes. Living in urban and suburban areas, they are between 46 and 55 and have no children. (Group 17M – Modest Means)
  44. Community Singles: Late middle-aged (56-65) single home owners with no kids. With a lower-middle income, they live in urban and suburban areas. (Group 17M – Modest Means)
  45. First Digs: This group consists of young (24-29) singles with no kids who either rent or own. Primarily lower-middle income, living in urban and suburban areas. (Group 1Y – Beginnings)
  46. Home Cooking: Middle-aged (30-45) married home owners with no kids. Primarily lower-middle income, living in urban and suburban areas. (Group 3X – Transition Blues)
  47. Rural Parents: This group consists of middle-aged (36-55) single parents who own their own homes and have children of mixed ages. Primarily lower-middle income in a rural location. (Group 10B – Mixed Boomers)
  48. Farmland Families: Middle-aged (36-55), married home owners who have school-aged children in the household. Primarily lower-middle income in a rural location. (Group 13B – True Blues)
  49. Sedentarians: These married seniors (76+) own their own homes and have no children. Living in urban and suburban areas, this group consists of lower-middle income earners. (Group 21S – Leisure Buffs)
  50. The Greatest Generation: This group consists of married seniors (66+) who own their own homes where the kids have moved out. Primarily lower-middle income in a rural location. (Group 18M – Mature Rustics)
  51. Family Matters: These seniors (66-75) are married home owners with no kids at home. Living in the outer suburbs and towns, they are in the lower-middle income bracket. (Group 21S – Leisure Buffs)
  52. Still Landlorded: Middle-aged (36-45) singles renting their residence with no kids. Primarily lower-middle income, living in urban and suburban areas. (Group 4X – Gen X Singles)
  53. Metro Parents: Middle-aged (36-55) single parents who own their own homes and have school-aged children. Primarily lower-middle income, living in urban and suburban locations. (Group 10B – Mixed Boomers)
  54. Still Truckin’: This group consists of late middle-aged (46-65), single home owners with no kids in the household. Primarily lower-middle income in a rural location. (Group 18M – Mature Rustics)
  55. Humble Homes: These married, late middle-aged (46-65) home owners don’t have any kids. They live in the outer suburbs and towns and are lower income earners. (Group 17M – Modest Means)
  56. Modest Wages: Middle-aged (36-45) single home owners with no kids. Primarily low income, living in urban and suburban areas. (Group 9B – Boomer Singles)
  57. Collegiate Crowd: This group consists of young (18-23) singles with no kids who rent or own. Primarily lower income, living in urban and suburban areas. (Group 1Y – Beginnings)
  58. Young Workboots: Young (18-29) singles with no kids who rent or own. Primarily blue-collar workers (low income), living in rural areas. (Group 1Y – Beginnings)
  59. Low-Rent Digs: Young middle-aged (30-35) single renters with no kids. They are in the lowest income bracket, living in urban and suburban areas. (Group 4X – Gen X Singles)
  60. Rural Rovers: Middle-aged (36-45) single renters with no kids, they live in rural areas and are lower-middle income. (Group 10B – Mixed Boomers)
  61. Urban Scramble: Young (24-35) single renters with no kids. Primarily lower income, living in down town metro areas. (*Group 6X
    • Mixed Singles*)
  62. Kids & Rent: Middle-aged (30-45) single and married renters with kids (mixed-ages). Primarily lower income, living in the outer suburbs and towns. (Group 5X – Gen X Parents)
  63. Single City Struggles: These late middle-aged (46-65) single renters live in urban and suburban areas. They have no kids and are low income earners. (Group 17M – Modest Means)
  64. Rural Antiques: This group consists of single renters and owners aged 76 and older with no children in their household. Primarily lower income in a rural location. (Group 21S – Leisure Buffs)
  65. Thrifty Elders: These single seniors (66-75) own their own homes in the outer suburbs and towns. They are among the lowest income earners. (Group 21S – Leisure Buffs)
  66. Timeless Elders: In the lowest income bracket, these single aged seniors (76+) own their own homes in urban and suburban areas. (Group 21S – Leisure Buffs)
  67. Rolling Stones: This group consists of young (24-29) singles with no kids who rent or own. They are the in the lowest income bracket, living in urban and suburban areas. (Group 1Y – Beginnings)
  68. Penny Pinchers: These late middle-aged (46-65) single home owners are among the lowest income earners. They live in urban and suburban areas with no children. (Group 17M – Modest Means)
  69. Mortgage Woes: Middle-aged (30-45) single home owners with no kids. They are in the lowest income bracket, living in urban and suburban areas. (Group 6X – Mixed Singles)
  70. On the Edge: Middle-aged (36-45) single renters with no kids. They are in the lowest income bracket, living in urban and suburban areas. (Group 6X – Mixed Singles)

Some the cluster identifiers are funny while others are pretty disheartening—I’m sure the intention was to make them memorable and in that Acxiom has succeeded. You’ll notice that the majority of information available online focuses on the top thirty or so segments, as these are apparently the most lucrative (consisting of the upper and upper-middle classes).

It’s amazing how much data Acxiom collects and the detail of information they can extract from that data. For instance, for each segment they can give you an idea of what activities they enjoy, their opinions/beliefs, how they vote, where they shop, what they read, what they eat, what their finances look like, etc.

Acxiom provides a document on their website which shows how they can predict the migration of consumers from one segment to the next. They need to predict well as these segments are so specific that nearly one-third of Americans change their segment each year.

If you can help me find more freely-available, detailed information (like this) for any of these segments, please leave a comment below or email me.

References