According to important statistics released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in April, the birth rate in the United States has reached a new low. In 2025, there were 53.1 births per 1,000 women of childbearing age (15–44 years), a 1.3% decrease from 2024 and a 23% drop compared to 2007. The decline in birth rates reflects decades of social changes that have undermined the American family structure.
Today's annual number of births is significantly lower than in earlier periods when the U.S. population was much smaller. For example, in 1961, with a population of 184 million, there were 4.3 million births. In 2025, despite the current population reaching 342 million, only 3.6 million children were born.
The current birth rate is even lower than during the Great Depression—down to 75.8 births per 1,000 women in 1936.
The fundamental decline in fertility rates in American society began in the 1960s, following the sexual revolution. During the 1990s and early 2000s, when the U.S. reached the peak of its geopolitical power, birth rates saw some recovery. However, since 2006, a new wave of decline has begun—one that coincides with the rapid decrease in the proportion of White Anglo-Saxon Protestant (WASP) individuals within the U.S. population.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1864303230104588/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.