Americans are having fewer children than ever before, and the fallout could impact every fabric of our society. The social science supporting this demographic cliff is staggering. In 2023, the total fertility rate fell to 1.62 births per woman, a 2 percent decline from the previous year and the lowest rate recorded since the government began tracking it in the 1930s. In addition, U.S. adults under age 50 without children who say they are “unlikely to ever have kids” rose ten percentage points over the past five years, according to a recent report from Pew Research.
Statistics on marriage show another rising trend. A recent survey by the Institute for Family Studies found that while 83 percent of today’s young adults report wanting to get married, 73 percent believe that marriage is too expensive, with the vast majority delaying marriage to get their finances in order first. Fewer marriages result in fewer babies. And fewer babies can trigger a range of societal, political, and cultural consequences.
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