Birth rates in the United States have been falling for decades. In 2023, there were **** births per 1,000 population, down from at **** births per 1,000 people in 1990. Demographics have an impact While the overall birth rate in the United States is falling, it varies significantly across social groups. Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander women saw the highest birth rate among all ethnicities in the country. On the other hand, Asian women had the lowest birth rates. Additionally, lower-income households tended to have a higher birth rate, and vice versa. Life expectancy at birth In addition to the declining birth rate, life expectancy in the United States has stalled its growth since the COVID-19 pandemic. The impact of the pandemic was pronounced in men and women. Still, female life expency was significantly higher than men.

This paper documents a set of facts about the dramatic decline in birth rates in the United States between 2007 and 2020 and explores possible explanations for it. The overall reduction in the birth rate reflects both very large declines within certain groups of women, including teens and Hispanic women – and smaller declines among demographic groups that comprise a large population share, including college-educated white women. We explore potential economic, policy, and social factors that might be responsible for the overall decline. We conclude from our empirical examination of possible factors that there is not a readily identifiable economic or policy factor or set of factors this is likely responsible for a substantial share of the decline. Instead, the patterns observed suggest that widespread, hard to quantify changes in preferences for having children, aspirations for life, and the nature of parenting are more likely behind the recent decline in US births. We conclude with a brief discussion about the societal consequences for a declining birth rate and what the United States might do about it.

Graph and download economic data for Crude Birth Rate for the United States (SPDYNCBRTINUSA) from 1960 to 2023 about birth, crude, rate, and USA.

In the United States, the crude birth rate in 1800 was 48.3 live births per thousand people, meaning that 4.8 percent of the population had been born in that year. Between 1815 and 1825 the crude birth rate jumped from 46.5 to 54.7 (possibly due to Florida becoming a part of the US, but this is unclear), but from this point until the Second World War the crude birth rate dropped gradually, reaching 19.2 in 1935. Through the 1940s, 50s and 60s the US experienced it's baby boom, and the birth rate reached 24.1 in 1955, before dropping again until 1980. From the 1980s until today the birth rate's decline has slowed, and is expected to reach twelve in 2020, meaning that just over 1 percent of the population will be born in 2020.

The fertility rate of a country is the average number of children that women from that country will have throughout their reproductive years. In the United States in 1800, the average woman of childbearing age would have seven children over the course of their lifetime. As factors such as technology, hygiene, medicine and education improved, women were having fewer children than before, reaching just two children per woman in 1940. This changed quite dramatically in the aftermath of the Second World War, rising sharply to over 3.5 children per woman in 1960 (children born between 1946 and 1964 are nowadays known as the 'Baby Boomer' generation, and they make up roughly twenty percent of todays US population). Due to the end of the baby boom and increased access to contraception, fertility reached it's lowest point in the US in 1980, where it was just 1.77. It did however rise to over two children per woman between 1995 and 2010, although it is expected to drop again by 2020, to just 1.78.

United States Birth Rate: White data was reported at 9.300 % in 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 9.500 % for 2022. United States Birth Rate: White data is updated yearly, averaging 13.700 % from Dec 1985 (Median) to 2023, with 39 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 15.800 % in 1990 and a record low of 9.300 % in 2023. United States Birth Rate: White data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.G008: Birth Rate.

Graph and download economic data for Fertility Rate, Total for the United States (SPDYNTFRTINUSA) from 1960 to 2023 about fertility, rate, and USA.

The United State’s birth rate is falling with just 3.62 million babies were born in 2024. This is in comparison to 4.16 million in 1990. While society continue to hold on to an idealized vision of the American family: two parents and 2.5 kids, this image has mostly not kept pace with reality. The actual average is well below two children per woman, and the gap between cultural ideal and demographic fact has widened steadily for decades. Birth rate is bellow replacement A country's birth rate measures live births per 1,000 people. America's has hit a record low, falling below the replacement rate needed to keep a stable population. That threshold is about 2.1 children per woman, a level the country hasn't reached in several decades. This shortfall has been supplemented by immigration to the U.S., which has kept the population growing. Why are fewer Americans having babies? Several factors are at work. Longer lifespans mean more time to pursue other goals, while easier access to contraception gives women more options. Financial crises and a growing focus on careers and personal fulfilment add to the mix. The result is that people are simply starting families later, if at all. How governments should respond to shrinking populations remains unclear, but that is clear is that the declining birth rate is a multifaceted problem without an easy solution.

United States Total Fertility Rate: White data was reported at 1,532.500 % in 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 1,568.000 % for 2022. United States Total Fertility Rate: White data is updated yearly, averaging 1,947.500 % from Dec 1985 (Median) to 2023, with 39 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2,137.000 % in 2007 and a record low of 21.000 % in 2009. United States Total Fertility Rate: White data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.G013: Fertility Rate.

In 2023, the birth rate in the United States was highest in families that had under 10,000 U.S. dollars in income per year, at ***** births per 1,000 women of childbearing age. As the income scale increases, the birth rate decreases, with families making ******* U.S. dollars or more per year having the second-lowest birth rate, at **** births per 1,000 women. Income and the birth rate Income and high birth rates are strongly linked, not just in the United States, but around the world. Women in lower income brackets tend to have higher birth rates across the board. There are many factors at play in birth rates, such as the education level of the mother, ethnicity of the mother, and even where someone lives. The fertility rate in the United States The fertility rate in the U.S. has declined in recent years, and it seems that more and more women are waiting longer to begin having children. Studies have indicated that the majority of American women have their first child in their late 20's, although this figure varies for people of different ethnic origins.

United States Total Fertility Rate: Black data was reported at 1,581.000 % in 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 1,639.000 % for 2022. United States Total Fertility Rate: Black data is updated yearly, averaging 2,062.000 % from Dec 1985 (Median) to 2023, with 39 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2,480.000 % in 1990 and a record low of 1,581.000 % in 2023. United States Total Fertility Rate: Black data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.G013: Fertility Rate.

While the standard image of the nuclear family with two parents and 2.5 children has persisted in the American imagination, the number of births in the U.S. has steadily been decreasing since 1990, with about 3.6 million babies born in 2023. In 1990, this figure was 4.16 million. Birth and replacement rates A country’s birth rate is defined as the number of live births per 1,000 inhabitants, and it is this particularly important number that has been decreasing over the past few decades. The declining birth rate is not solely an American problem, with EU member states showing comparable rates to the U.S. Additionally, each country has what is called a “replacement rate.” The replacement rate is the rate of fertility needed to keep a population stable when compared with the death rate. In the U.S., the fertility rate needed to keep the population stable is around 2.1 children per woman, but this figure was at 1.67 in 2022. Falling birth rates Currently, there is much discussion as to what exactly is causing the birth rate to decrease in the United States. There seem to be several factors in play, including longer life expectancies, financial concerns (such as the economic crisis of 2008), and an increased focus on careers, all of which are causing people to wait longer to start a family. How international governments will handle falling populations remains to be seen, but what is clear is that the declining birth rate is a multifaceted problem without an easy solution.

The statistic shows the 20 countries with the lowest fertility rates in 2025. All figures are estimates. In 2025, the fertility rate in South Korea was estimated to be at 0.68 children per woman, making it the lowest fertility rate worldwide. Fertility rate The fertility rate is the average number of children born per woman of childbearing age in a country. Usually, a woman aged between 15 and 45 is considered to be in her childbearing years. The fertility rate of a country provides an insight into its economic state, as well as the level of health and education of its population. Developing countries usually have a higher fertility rate due to lack of access to birth control and contraception, and to women usually foregoing a higher education, or even any education at all, in favor of taking care of housework. Many families in poorer countries also need their children to help provide for the family by starting to work early and/or as caretakers for their parents in old age. In developed countries, fertility rates and birth rates are usually much lower, as birth control is easier to obtain and women often choose a career before becoming a mother. Additionally, if the number of women of childbearing age declines, so does the fertility rate of a country. As can be seen above, countries like Hong Kong are a good example for women leaving the patriarchal structures and focusing on their own careers instead of becoming mothers at a young age, causing a decline in the country’s fertility rate. A look at the fertility rate per woman worldwide by income group also shows that women with a low income tend to have more children than those with a high income. The United States are neither among the countries with the lowest, nor among those with the highest fertility rate, by the way. At 2.08 children per woman, the fertility rate in the US has been continuously slightly below the global average of about 2.4 children per woman over the last decade.

From Seeds to Stars: Mapping the Evolution of Fertility Rates Across Nations! 🌱🌟 Step into the realm of demographics and witness the captivating journey of fertility rates spanning over six decades, from 1960 to 2022. 📊✨ Explore a rich tapestry of data that unveils the ebb and flow of population growth, unraveling the fascinating story behind each country's unique fertility landscape. 🌍🔍 Traverse the peaks of baby booms, the valleys of declining birth rates, and the surprising anomalies that shape our global family tree. 🌳👪 Join us on this enlightening expedition as we delve into the mysteries of fertility, decoding the factors that influence birth rates and reshaping our understanding of the world's population dynamics. Get ready to be mesmerized by the interplay of numbers, trends, and the universal human desire to create life. 🌎🌺✨

United States Birth Rate: 30 to 34: American Indian or Alaska Native data was reported at 64.000 % in 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 68.100 % for 2022. United States Birth Rate: 30 to 34: American Indian or Alaska Native data is updated yearly, averaging 56.500 % from Dec 1985 (Median) to 2023, with 39 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 77.100 % in 2016 and a record low of 47.300 % in 2011. United States Birth Rate: 30 to 34: American Indian or Alaska Native data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.G008: Birth Rate.

This dataset includes birth rates for unmarried women by age group, race, and Hispanic origin in the United States since 1970. Methods for collecting information on marital status changed over the reporting period and have been documented in: • Ventura SJ, Bachrach CA. Nonmarital childbearing in the United States, 1940–99. National vital statistics reports; vol 48 no 16. Hyattsville, Maryland: National Center for Health Statistics. 2000. Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr48/nvs48_16.pdf. • National Center for Health Statistics. User guide to the 2013 natality public use file. Hyattsville, Maryland: National Center for Health Statistics. 2014. Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data_access/VitalStatsOnline.htm. National data on births by Hispanics origin exclude data for Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Oklahoma in 1989; for New Hampshire and Oklahoma in 1990; for New Hampshire in 1991 and 1992. Information on reporting Hispanic origin is detailed in the Technical Appendix for the 1999 public-use natality data file (see (ftp://ftp.cdc.gov/pub/Health_Statistics/NCHS/Dataset_Documentation/DVS/natality/Nat1999doc.pdf.) All birth data by race before 1980 are based on race of the child. Starting in 1980, birth data by race are based on race of the mother. SOURCES CDC/NCHS, National Vital Statistics System, birth data (see http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/births.htm); public-use data files (see http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data_access/Vitalstatsonline.htm); and CDC WONDER (see http://wonder.cdc.gov/). REFERENCES Curtin SC, Ventura SJ, Martinez GM. Recent declines in nonmarital childbearing in the United States. NCHS data brief, no 162. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2014. Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db162.pdf. Martin JA, Hamilton BE, Osterman MJK, et al. Births: Final data for 2015. National vital statistics reports; vol 66 no 1. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2017. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr66/nvsr66_01.pdf.

The average for 2022 based on 196 countries was 18.19 births per 1000 people. The highest value was in the Central African Republic: 45.42 births per 1000 people and the lowest value was in Hong Kong: 4.4 births per 1000 people. The indicator is available from 1960 to 2023. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

Birth & Fertility Rates by Race

A Study of Trends in the U.S. (2000 – 2018)

By Health [source]

About this dataset

This dataset provides an insightful look into birth and fertility rates by race and Hispanic origin over the past two decades. The data reveals interesting trends in diverse populations, such as relative differences in birth rates between White/Non-Hispanic individuals compared to other races/ethnicities. Additionally, the fertility rate might offer clues as to how areas will look into the future and can be used to evaluate family planning policies. This dataset offers an invaluable resource for anyone interested in understanding shifts in demographics or studying trends of births and fertility over time

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How to use the dataset

This dataset contains data on birth and fertility rates by race and Hispanic origin spanning the years 2000-2018. This dataset can be used to gain insight into demographic trends in the US, such as differences in fertility rate between racial groups and changes over time.

To use this dataset, begin by selecting some questions that you would like to answer with it. Consider any factors that may influence the birth or fertility rates, such as geography or income level. Once you have a clear research question in mind, look at the columns included in this dataset and determine which ones are relevant for your analysis – including only necessary columns can save processing time.

Then, select any relevant filters for your data (for example: specific racial group or region). Preprocess the selected rows if needed then export to a format of your choice (CSV is recommended) so you can use it with other statistical software like R or Python packages (e.g., Pandas). After preprocessing is complete and your file is ready for analysis, run descriptive statistics like mean/median/mode to get a quick overview of how the variables relate before running more detailed tests like correlation coefficients (Pearson r). If appropriate for your research question, build visualizations using relevant tools such as Tableau or Excel’s charting functions to easily interpret patterns in large datasets without needing complex forms of analysis like regression models.

Finally remember that all results from statistical analyses should be interpreted with caution– they merely help us understand trends within our data rather than definitively proving causality. This way we can dive deep into researching interesting demographic patterns while keeping valid conclusions top of mind!

Research Ideas

• Evaluating the impact of access to contraception on birth and fertility rates over time among different racial and ethnic groups.
• Comparing the trends in fertility rates and total live births within different races and Hispanic origin groups over the past two decades.
• Analyzing how changes in birth and fertility rates have impacted population growth or decline among different races/ethnicities since 2000

Acknowledgements

If you use this dataset in your research, please credit the original authors. Data Source

License

See the dataset description for more information.

Columns

File: rows.csv | Column name | Description | |:--------------------|:----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Year | The year that the data was collected and reported. (Integer) | | Hispanic Origin | Race or ethnicity of the individuals included in the dataset. (String) | | Live Births | Total number of live births reported for each group in a given year. (Integer) | | Birth Rates | Rate at which live births occur per 1,000 people within that group during a certain period of time. (Float) | | Fertility Rates | Rate at which women who are between 15 to 44 years give birth (or become pregnant) per 1,000 women under consideration w...

United States - Crude Birth Rate for Low Income Countries was 34.33420 Births per 1,000 People in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Crude Birth Rate for Low Income Countries reached a record high of 47.81158 in January of 1957 and a record low of 34.33420 in January of 2023. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Crude Birth Rate for Low Income Countries - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on April of 2026.

Crude Birth Rate for the United States was 10.70000 Births per 1,000 People in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, Crude Birth Rate for the United States reached a record high of 23.70000 in January of 1960 and a record low of 10.70000 in January of 2023. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Crude Birth Rate for the United States - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on April of 2026.