The U.S. general fertility rate fell by 1 percent in 2025, reaching a new record low for another consecutive year according to latest statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention …
also this is global, so I thought there was a strong correlation between agrarian societies, having low or depressed wages, and having lots of kids to help with the farm labor, or because there isn’t much else to do for fun.
This could be a regressive imperialist view, idk, but its what I was always told about the correlation between wages and children, especially on a global scale - would be interested to see this same chart for singular countries, the USA for example.
Other commenter pointed out that typically higher incomes generally come with rights for child bearers… So that also could have something to do with it too.
Anecdotal, but partner and I have put off having children multiple times due to affordability, IE who can take that much time off work and still pay food/rent costs?
As a parent, most of the worry is just unreasonable fear. If you want kids have them. Sure they are expensive, but they will take so much time you won’t be able to do a lot of the other things you were spending money on before. I find it well worth the costs (this is of course a matter of opinion)
I’ll add a caveat that one should take a look at daycare costs and such in their area first. There is a real financial setback that having kids can bring that shouldn’t be ignored if possible. There’s only so much money that cancelling going to concerts and brunch can offset things like daycare.
It seems pretty directly linked with the availability of choices for women.
Anecdotal, but partner and I have put off having children multiple times due to affordability, IE who can take that much time off work and still pay food/rent costs?
You are lucky enough to have the choice to put off having children.
also this is global, so I thought there was a strong correlation between agrarian societies, having low or depressed wages, and having lots of kids to help with the farm labor, or because there isn’t much else to do for fun.
This could be a regressive imperialist view, idk, but its what I was always told about the correlation between wages and children, especially on a global scale - would be interested to see this same chart for singular countries, the USA for example.
Other commenter pointed out that typically higher incomes generally come with rights for child bearers… So that also could have something to do with it too.
Anecdotal, but partner and I have put off having children multiple times due to affordability, IE who can take that much time off work and still pay food/rent costs?
As a parent, most of the worry is just unreasonable fear. If you want kids have them. Sure they are expensive, but they will take so much time you won’t be able to do a lot of the other things you were spending money on before. I find it well worth the costs (this is of course a matter of opinion)
I’m only half of the decision tree, but I really appreciate your kind words of encouragement :) we’re trying, but cautiously.
To anyone trying - if you plan to use a daycare, get on their enrollment wait lists now. Those things are multiple years long! (In the US, at least)
I’ll add a caveat that one should take a look at daycare costs and such in their area first. There is a real financial setback that having kids can bring that shouldn’t be ignored if possible. There’s only so much money that cancelling going to concerts and brunch can offset things like daycare.
I say this as a parent as well.
It seems pretty directly linked with the availability of choices for women.
You are lucky enough to have the choice to put off having children.
yeah definitely a meeting point of factors.
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