Where have all the babies gone?

AuthorBerlin, Olivia
PositionTRENDS

The Great Recession, like most periods of economic decline, caused unemployment to spike and birth rates to drop. But in the current recovery, unlike others, the economy is improving while birth rates are not. Birth rates fell to a historic low in 20 16, with a mere 62 births per 1,000 women between the ages of 15 and 44. In 2015, New England (except Maine) and the District of Columbia had the lowest birth rates in the U.S., while South Dakota, Utah and Alaska had the highest.

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Multiple factors have contributed to these low rates in recent years. The first is the recession, as rising unemployment is linked to corresponding decreases in the birth rate. Young workers in particular were hit hard, and the combination of rising costs of living and weighty student loan debts has made supporting children difficult. Even young adults who are more financially secure have chosen to delay marriage and children for other reasons.

Immigration is an important factor as well, as recent immigrants have among the highest birth rates of any group. But immigration gains from Mexico have stalled, according to the Pew Research Center, and several states that typically have received large numbers of immigrants are seeing their birth rates decline sharply.

The effects of fwer births won't be clear for decades, but experts anticipate a smaller working population in future yea rs. With baby boomers retiring, fewer workers could cause labor shortages and put a strain on state tax revenue and social...

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