Over the past 30 years, the birth rate in the United States has been steadily declining, and in 2023, there were 10.7 births per 1,000 of the population. In 1990, this figure stood at 16.7 births per 1,000 of the population. Demographics have an impact The average birth rate in the U.S. may be falling, but when broken down along ethnic and economic lines, a different picture is painted: Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander women saw the highest birth rate in 2022 among all ethnicities, and Asian women and white women both saw the lowest birth rate. Additionally, the higher the family income, the lower the birth rate; families making between 15,000 and 24,999 U.S. dollars annually had the highest birth rate of any income bracket in the States. Life expectancy at birth In addition to the declining birth rate in the U.S., the total life expectancy at birth has also reached its lowest value recently. Studies have shown that the life expectancy of both men and women in the United States has been declining over the last few years. Declines in life expectancy, like declines in birth rates, may indicate that there are social and economic factors negatively influencing the overall population health and well-being of the country.

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.

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 2023, the number of births was the highest in the age group of women between 20 and 34 years old, at 83 births per 1,000 women. The lowest birth rate was the group aged between 15 and 19 years at eight births per 1,000 women.

Fertility rate, total (births per woman) in United States was reported at 1.6165 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. United States - Fertility rate, total (births per woman) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on September of 2025.

United States Birth Rate: 40 to 44: White data was reported at 10.600 % in 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 10.700 % for 2022. United States Birth Rate: 40 to 44: White data is updated yearly, averaging 8.900 % from Dec 1985 (Median) to 2023, with 39 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 10.700 % in 2022 and a record low of 3.700 % in 1985. United States Birth Rate: 40 to 44: 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.

The graph illustrates the number of babies born in the United States from 1995 to 2025. The x-axis represents the years, labeled from '95 to '25, while the y-axis shows the annual number of births. Over this 30-year period, birth numbers peaked at 4,316,233 in 2007 and reached a low of 3,596,017 in 2023. The data reveals relatively stable birth rates from 1995 to 2010, with slight fluctuations, followed by a gradual decline starting around 2017. The information is presented in a line graph format, effectively highlighting the long-term downward trend in U.S. birth numbers over the specified timeframe.

In 2023, the crude birth rate in live births per 1,000 inhabitants in the United States stood at 10.7. Between 1960 and 2023, the figure dropped by 13, though the decline followed an uneven course rather than a steady trajectory.

Sex ratio at birth (male births per female births) in United States was reported at 1.049 in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. United States - Sex ratio at birth (male births per female births) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on September of 2025.

Birth rate, crude (per 1,000 people) in United States was reported at 10.7 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. United States - Birth rate, crude - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on September of 2025.

This is the code replication archive for the paper, "The COVID-19 Baby Bump in the United States," forthcoming in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The underlying natality microdata are restricted, so this archive contains only the code to replicate our analysis.We use natality microdata covering the universe of U.S. births for 2015-2021 and California births from 2015 through February 2023 to examine childbearing responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. We find that 60% of the 2020 decline in U.S. fertility rates was driven by sharp reductions in births to foreign-born mothers although births to this group comprised only 22% of all U.S. births in 2019. This decline started in January 2020. In contrast, the COVID-19 recession resulted in an overall “baby bump” among U.S.-born mothers which marked the first reversal in declining fertility rates since the Great Recession. Births to U.S.-born mothers fell by 31,000 in 2020 relative to a pre-pandemic trend but increased by 71,000 in 2021. The data for California suggest that U.S. births remained elevated through February 2023. The baby bump was most pronounced for first births and women under age 25, suggesting that the pandemic led some women to start families earlier. Above age 25, the baby bump was most pronounced for women ages 30-34 and women with a college education. The 2021-2022 baby bump is especially remarkable given the large declines in fertility rates that would have been projected by standard statistical models.

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

In 2023, women in households with an income below the poverty threshold had the highest birth rate in the United States, at 72 births per 1,000 women.

United States Birth Rate: Black data was reported at 11.700 % in 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 12.300 % for 2022. United States Birth Rate: Black data is updated yearly, averaging 16.300 % from Dec 1985 (Median) to 2023, with 39 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 22.400 % in 1990 and a record low of 11.700 % in 2023. United States Birth 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.G008: Birth Rate.

Historical dataset showing Virgin Islands (U.S.) birth rate by year from 1960 to 2023.

This dataset contains counts of live births for California counties based on information entered on birth certificates. Final counts are derived from static data and include out of state births to California residents, whereas provisional counts are derived from incomplete and dynamic data. Provisional counts are based on the records available when the data was retrieved and may not represent all births that occurred during the time period.

The final data tables include both births that occurred in California regardless of the place of residence (by occurrence) and births to California residents (by residence), whereas the provisional data table only includes births that occurred in California regardless of the place of residence (by occurrence). The data are reported as totals, as well as stratified by parent giving birth's age, parent giving birth's race-ethnicity, and birth place type. See temporal coverage for more information on which strata are available for which years.

Fertility Rate, Total for the United States was 1.61650 Births per Woman in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, Fertility Rate, Total for the United States reached a record high of 3.65400 in January of 1960 and a record low of 1.61650 in January of 2023. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Fertility Rate, Total for the United States - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on September of 2025.

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 September of 2025.

This statistic shows the 50 metropolitan areas with the highest birth rate in the United States in 2023. Birth rate is the total number of live births per 1,000 of a population in a particular year. The Hinesville metro area in Georgia was ranked first with 18.69 births per 1,000 residents in 2023.

Number and percentage of live births, by month of birth, 1991 to most recent year.