The fertility rate in the United States fell to its lowest point in history in 2024, just under 1.6 children per woman, according to new data released by the CDC on Thursday. The rate is well below the replacement level of 2.1 and now sits close to that of many western European countries. This marks the latest point in a steady two-decade decline. In 2007, the US was among the few developed countries with a replacement-level fertility rate. But that changed as more women began delaying childbirth or choosing not to have children at all.

‘Baby bonus’

Alarmed by the drop, the Trump administration has taken steps to reverse the trend. These include an executive order to expand access to in vitro fertilisation and proposals for “baby bonuses” aimed at encouraging couples to have children. But demographers remain sceptical. “Birth rates are generally declining for women in most age groups and that doesn’t seem likely to change in the near future,” Karen Guzzo, director of the Carolina population center, told NBC news. She added that people are delaying marriage and are often worried about whether they can afford children.

Population growing

Despite the low fertility rate, experts say there’s no cause for alarm. Leslie Root, a University of Colorado researcher, said this is part of an ongoing delay in childbirth. “We know that the US population is still growing, and we still have a natural increase, more births than deaths,” she said.

Rate still down

The total number of births in 2024 actually increased slightly — by about 33,000. But due to updated census estimates, the overall birth rate still declined. CDC officials said the recalculated data showed no real change in birth rates for women in their late 30s and a fall in rates for those in their 20s and early 30s.