US Fertility Rate Hits Record Low in 2024, CDC Reports

The fertility rate in the United States plummeted to an all-time low in 2024, with fewer than 1.6 children born per woman, according to recent data released by the CDC. Historically, the U.S. had maintained a fertility rate around the replacement level of approximately 2.1 children per woman, ensuring population stability. However, over the past two decades, this rate has steadily declined as more women delay childbearing or opt not to have children at all.

During the early 1960s, the fertility rate was approximately 3.5, but it sharply decreased to 1.7 by 1976 following the end of the Baby Boom. The rate experienced some fluctuations, rising to 2.1 in 2007, then declining again with a slight uptick in 2014. The 2023 rate was recorded at 1.621, and it decreased further in 2024 to 1.599.

The recent drop aligns the U.S. closely with fertility rates observed in Western European nations. Experts believe several factors contribute to this decline, including individuals marrying later, financial concerns, and worries about access to healthcare and child-rearing resources. Despite alarm from policymakers, fertility specialists like Leslie Root from the University of Colorado emphasize that this trend reflects a delay rather than a cessation of childbearing. The U.S. population continues to grow, supported by natural increase and immigration.

The Biden administration and previous efforts by the Trump administration have aimed to combat falling birth rates through measures such as expanding access to assisted reproductive technologies and proposing incentives like "baby bonuses." However, critics assert that effective long-term solutions require addressing broader issues like parental leave policies and affordable childcare.

Interestingly, the CDC's latest report also notes a 1% increase in the total number of births in 2024, translating to about 33,000 more babies born compared to the previous year, totaling just over 3.6 million births nationally. Nonetheless, detailed analysis reveals declines in birth rates among women in their 20s and early 30s, which is likely influenced by demographic shifts such as population growth among women of childbearing age—an effect related to immigration and population estimates recalculations.

Overall, while the fertility rate has reached a historic low, population growth persists, reflecting changing societal norms, economic factors, and policy influences that shape reproductive behavior in the United States.