This publication was created to meet the needs of policymakers who must establish a context for viewing trends in the well-being of youth. It cuts across disciplines and agency lines, presenting statistics that address important aspects of the lives of youth--family, work, education, health, behavior, and attitudes. Taken together, the data create an outline of the conditions under which young people live in America today and the many challenges they face. An objective is to present changes over time, rather than just snapshots of contemporary conditions. When possible, tables go back as far as 1950. A total of 63 indicators are treated in this report, and each indicator contains a table, a chart, and a brief descriptive text. Tables provide current and trend information, while charts illuminate the tables, highlighting their most important aspects. Indicators are grouped into the following sections that feature particular areas of youth experience: (1) home (demographics and family composition and income); (2) school (description, outcomes, and out-of-school experiences); (3) health; (4) citizenship and values; and (5) the future, especially educational aspirations and employment plans). A glossary is included. (SLD)