The fertility rate of women in India was about 2.2 in rural regions and 1.6 in urban regions in 2020. Furthermore, the north Indian state of Bihar had the highest total fertility rate of about three in rural and urban areas in that year.

India fertility rate for 2025 is 2.11, a 0.8% decline from 2024.

<ul style='margin-top:20px;'>

<li>India fertility rate for 2024 was <strong>2.12</strong>, a <strong>7.44% increase</strong> from 2023.</li>
<li>India fertility rate for 2023 was <strong>1.98</strong>, a <strong>0.95% decline</strong> from 2022.</li>
<li>India fertility rate for 2022 was <strong>1.99</strong>, a <strong>0.99% decline</strong> from 2021.</li>
</ul>Total fertility rate represents the number of children that would be born to a woman if she were to live to the end of her childbearing years and bear children in accordance with age-specific fertility rates of the specified year.

In 2020, the state of Bihar had the highest rural birth rate of 26.2 births per 1,000 inhabitants. It was followed by Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. Among the larger states and union territories, the southern state of Kerala had the lowest birth rate in the rural areas that year.

India’s TFR declined from 2.9 to 2.0 children per woman at the national level, marking a crucial milestone in population stabilization efforts. Overall, the data represents stark regional disparities in fertility patterns. Southern states consistently demonstrated lower fertility rates, with Kerala and Tamil Nadu leading the transition. Kerala’s TFR decreased from 1.7 to 1.5, while Tamil Nadu reached 1.4 by 2020, well below the replacement level.

In 2023, the total fertility rate in India remained nearly unchanged at around 1.98 children per woman. Yet 2023 saw the lowest fertility rate in India with 1.98 children per woman. The total fertility rate is the average number of children that a woman of childbearing age (generally considered 15 to 44 years) is expected to have throughout her reproductive years. Unlike birth rates, which are based on the actual number of live births in a given population, fertility rates are estimates (similar to life expectancy) that apply to a hypothetical woman, as they assume that current patterns in age-specific fertility will remain constant throughout her reproductive years.Find more statistics on other topics about India with key insights such as life expectancy of men at birth, death rate, and life expectancy of women at birth.

The projected crude birth rate in India, at national level, was expected to decrease to about ** births per thousand people by 2031 to 2035 as opposed to the national crude birth rate from 2011 to 2015 which stood at more than ** births per thousand people. At state level, Bihar reflected the highest crude birth rate from 2011 to 2015 as well as the highest projected crude birth rate from 2031-2035. By contrast, the states with the lowest projected crude birth rates were Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh during the same time period.

Total Fertility Rate: India: Urban data was reported at 1.600 NA in 2020. This records a decrease from the previous number of 1.700 NA for 2019. Total Fertility Rate: India: Urban data is updated yearly, averaging 1.800 NA from Dec 2005 (Median) to 2020, with 16 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2.100 NA in 2005 and a record low of 1.600 NA in 2020. Total Fertility Rate: India: Urban data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. The data is categorized under India Premium Database’s Demographic – Table IN.GAH006: Vital Statistics: Total Fertility Rate.

The fertility rate of a country is the average number of children that women from that country will have throughout their reproductive years. From 1880 until 1970, India's fertility rate was very consistent, and women of this time had an average of 5.7 to six children over the course of their lifetime. In the second half of the twentieth century, the fertility rate dropped considerably, and has continued to drop in the 2000s. This decrease in the rate of fertility follows a common correlation between quality of life and fertility, where the fertility rate decreases as the standard of living improves. In 1947, after almost a century, the Indian independence movement finally achieved its goal, and India was able to self rule. From this point onwards, Indian socio-economic improvements led to a decreased fertility rate, which is expected to fall to 2.2 in 2020.

Graph and download economic data for Adolescent Fertility Rate for India (SPADOTFRTIND) from 1960 to 2023 about 15 to 19 years, fertility, India, and rate.

Total Fertility Rate: India: Rural data was reported at 2.200 NA in 2020. This records a decrease from the previous number of 2.300 NA for 2019. Total Fertility Rate: India: Rural data is updated yearly, averaging 2.550 NA from Dec 2005 (Median) to 2020, with 16 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 3.200 NA in 2005 and a record low of 2.200 NA in 2020. Total Fertility Rate: India: Rural data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. The data is categorized under India Premium Database’s Demographic – Table IN.GAH006: Vital Statistics: Total Fertility Rate.

Graph and download economic data for Fertility Rate, Total for India (SPDYNTFRTININD) from 1960 to 2023 about fertility, India, and rate.

Total Fertility Rate: Telangana data was reported at 1.500 NA in 2020. This records a decrease from the previous number of 1.600 NA for 2019. Total Fertility Rate: Telangana data is updated yearly, averaging 1.700 NA from Dec 2014 (Median) to 2020, with 7 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1.800 NA in 2015 and a record low of 1.500 NA in 2020. Total Fertility Rate: Telangana data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. The data is categorized under India Premium Database’s Demographic – Table IN.GAH006: Vital Statistics: Total Fertility Rate.

India birth rate for 2025 is 16.55, a 1.19% decline from 2024.

<ul style='margin-top:20px;'>

<li>India birth rate for 2024 was <strong>16.75</strong>, a <strong>3.74% increase</strong> from 2023.</li>
<li>India birth rate for 2023 was <strong>16.15</strong>, a <strong>1.16% decline</strong> from 2022.</li>
<li>India birth rate for 2022 was <strong>16.34</strong>, a <strong>0.94% decline</strong> from 2021.</li>
</ul>Crude birth rate indicates the number of live births occurring during the year, per 1,000 population estimated at midyear. Subtracting the crude death rate from the crude birth rate provides the rate of natural increase, which is equal to the rate of population change in the absence of migration.

Total Fertility Rate: Bihar data was reported at 3.000 NA in 2020. This records a decrease from the previous number of 3.100 NA for 2019. Total Fertility Rate: Bihar data is updated yearly, averaging 3.450 NA from Dec 2005 (Median) to 2020, with 16 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 4.300 NA in 2005 and a record low of 3.000 NA in 2020. Total Fertility Rate: Bihar data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. The data is categorized under India Premium Database’s Demographic – Table IN.GAH006: Vital Statistics: Total Fertility Rate.

In 2025, there are six countries, all in Sub-Saharan Africa, where the average woman of childbearing age can expect to have between 5-6 children throughout their lifetime. In fact, of the 20 countries in the world with the highest fertility rates, Afghanistan and Yemen are the only countries not found in Sub-Saharan Africa. High fertility rates in Africa With a fertility rate of almost six children per woman, Chad is the country with the highest fertility rate in the world. Population growth in Chad is among the highest in the world. Lack of healthcare access, as well as food instability, political instability, and climate change, are all exacerbating conditions that keep Chad's infant mortality rates high, which is generally the driver behind high fertility rates. This situation is common across much of the continent, and, although there has been considerable progress in recent decades, development in Sub-Saharan Africa is not moving as quickly as it did in other regions. Demographic transition While these countries have the highest fertility rates in the world, their rates are all on a generally downward trajectory due to a phenomenon known as the demographic transition. The third stage (of five) of this transition sees birth rates drop in response to decreased infant and child mortality, as families no longer feel the need to compensate for lost children. Eventually, fertility rates fall below replacement level (approximately 2.1 children per woman), which eventually leads to natural population decline once life expectancy plateaus. In some of the most developed countries today, low fertility rates are creating severe econoic and societal challenges as workforces are shrinking while aging populations are placin a greater burden on both public and personal resources.

This layer shows Total Fertility Rate (Children per women) across states and UTs of India.Data source: https://www.indiabudget.gov.in/economicsurvey/doc/stat/tab8.18.pdfNote: In NFHS-5, Jammu & Kashmir is Union Territory excluding Ladakh (UT). NFHS-5, Survey done over two years.This web layer is offered by Esri India, for ArcGIS Online subscribers. If you have any questions or comments, please let us know via content@esri.in.

This dataset is about countries per year in India. It has 1 row and is filtered where the date is 2021. It features 4 columns: country, birth rate, and fertility rate.

India Vital Statistics: Age Specific Fertility Rates: per 1000 Female Population: Age: Rural: 20-24 data was reported at 152.300 NA in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 192.700 NA for 2015. India Vital Statistics: Age Specific Fertility Rates: per 1000 Female Population: Age: Rural: 20-24 data is updated yearly, averaging 210.600 NA from Dec 2010 (Median) to 2016, with 7 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 218.500 NA in 2010 and a record low of 152.300 NA in 2016. India Vital Statistics: Age Specific Fertility Rates: per 1000 Female Population: Age: Rural: 20-24 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Census of India. The data is categorized under India Premium Database’s Demographic – Table IN.GAH007: Vital Statistics: Age Specific Fertility Rate: by Age Group.

Historical dataset showing India fertility rate by year from 1950 to 2025.

While the BRICS countries are grouped together in terms of economic development, demographic progress varies across these five countries. In 2019, India and South Africa were the only BRICS countries with a fertility rate above replacement level (2.1 births per woman). Fertility rates since 2000 show that fertility in China and Russia has either fluctuated or remained fairly steady, as these two countries are at a later stage of the demographic transition than the other three, while Brazil has reached this stage more recently. Fertility rates in India are following a similar trend to Brazil, while South Africa's rate is progressing at a much slower pace. Demographic development is inextricably linked with economic growth; for example, as fertility rates drop, female participation in the workforce increases, as does the average age, which then leads to higher productivity and a more profitable domestic market.