U.S. Fertility Rate Hits Record Low in 2025

The U.S. fertility rate reached a record low in 2025, continuing a nearly two-decade decline, according to provisional data released Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The general fertility rate, which measures births per 1,000 women aged 15 to 44, fell 1 percent to 53.1 from 53.8 the previous year, while total births dropped to approximately 3.6 million nationwide.

The data, compiled by the National Center for Health Statistics and based on nearly all birth records processed as of early 2026, highlights persistent drops among younger women that outweigh modest gains in older age groups. Birth rates for women aged 25 to 29 declined 4.4 percent, and rates for teenagers aged 15 to 19 hit a historic low of 11.7 births per 1,000, down 7 percent from 2024. Younger teens aged 15 to 17 saw an 11 percent decrease. In contrast, rates rose for women in their 30s and 40s: 2.7 percent to 96.2 for ages 30 to 34, nearly 1 percent to 55.1 for ages 35 to 39, and slightly to 12.8 for ages 40 to 44.

This marks a 23 percent drop in the overall fertility rate since 2007, when it stood at about 69. The trend aligns with global patterns, where fewer people are choosing to...