Here Are Americans' Favorite Long-Term Investments

Related: Mutual Funds vs. ETFs: Which Are Better for Retirement Portfolios?

Bankrate recently asked U.S. investors about how they would prefer to invest money they would not need for 10 years or more. Respondents could choose stocks, bonds, real estate, bitcoin/cryptocurrency, gold/precious metals or cash. The survey found that a third of baby boomers preferred stocks and a third of millennials preferred real estate, in both cases more than any other age group. Generations X and Z also preferred real estate over other options. The stock market was also the top pick for 40% each of households headed by a college graduate and those earning more than $75,000 a year. Female investors were twice as likely as male investors to choose cash investments, such as savings accounts and CDs, as their top investments. Older millennials reported the highest preference for cash investments of any age group, second only to their preference for real estate. The new survey found a sharp drop in comfort with investing in cryptocurrency, along with prices. Twenty-one percent of respondents said they were somewhat or very comfortable, down from 35% in the 2021 study. Age seemed to be associated with the comfort level for investing in cryptocurrency, with younger investors reporting higher levels of comfort:

• Gen Z: 34%.
• Millennials: 29%.
• Gen X: 21%.
• Boomers: 11%.

See the gallery for the seven investment preferences of Americans with money they would not need for a decade or more.