News | Data Show New York State Births Down 13% as Women Over 35 Account for a Growing Share
New data from the Program on Applied Demographics (PAD) at Cornell University's Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy show that New York State's birth rate continues to decline as more women delay childbirth.
About 241,312 babies were born in New York State in 2011, compared with 210,742 in 2021, a decline of 13%.
New York fertility remains low and well below replacement level
New York's total fertility rate (TFR), the average number of children a woman is expected to have during her reproductive years, fell from 1.85 in 2009 to 1.55 in 2021. This is well below the U.S. average of 1.71 and the replacement rate of 2.1, the threshold for maintaining a stable population.
Childbearing is delayed as birth rates rise among women over 35
The average age at first birth in New York also continues to rise. In 2021 it reached 28.9 years, more than one year later than the 2011 average of 27.2.
Although birth rates rose significantly among women ages 35 to 44, the increase was not enough to offset declining rates among younger women.
PAD researcher Leslie Reynolds said, “New York State has unique geographic characteristics and population diversity, so beyond examining overall birth rates, local and county-level trends must be analyzed to develop more targeted policies.”
Marked regional differences across New York
Fertility rates vary considerably across the state:
The highest rates were in Rockland, Jefferson, and Orange counties;
The lowest were in Otsego County, New York City (Manhattan), and Tompkins County.
Family structure: The share of single-mother households is rising
In 2021, households with infants were structured as follows:
65% consisted of opposite-sex married couples;
17% were single-mother households;
13% consisted of cohabiting partners of any gender;
5% were headed by single fathers.
As children grew older, the share of married couples declined while the share of single-mother households rose further.
Other findings: Slightly more boys than girls and popular names lead trends
About 4,270 more boys than girls were born in New York State in 2021. In 2020, Liam, Noah, and Olivia were the most popular baby names among New York parents.
Declining fertility creates policy and infrastructure challenges
New York State and the broader northeastern United States face the combined challenges of declining fertility and an aging population. This trend affects population structure and will have far-reaching implications for policymaking and infrastructure planning.
Experts say greater attention to local demographic trends will be needed to address the social issues created by these changes more precisely.
News | Data Show New York State Births Down 13% as Women Over 35 Account for a Growing Share
News | Data Show New York State Births Down 13% as Women Over 35 Account for a Growing Share
New data from the Program on Applied Demographics (PAD) at Cornell University's Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy show that New York State's birth rate continues to decline as more women delay childbirth.
About 241,312 babies were born in New York State in 2011, compared with 210,742 in 2021, a decline of 13%.
New York fertility remains low and well below replacement level
New York's total fertility rate (TFR), the average number of children a woman is expected to have during her reproductive years, fell from 1.85 in 2009 to 1.55 in 2021. This is well below the U.S. average of 1.71 and the replacement rate of 2.1, the threshold for maintaining a stable population.
Childbearing is delayed as birth rates rise among women over 35
The average age at first birth in New York also continues to rise. In 2021 it reached 28.9 years, more than one year later than the 2011 average of 27.2.
Although birth rates rose significantly among women ages 35 to 44, the increase was not enough to offset declining rates among younger women.
PAD researcher Leslie Reynolds said, “New York State has unique geographic characteristics and population diversity, so beyond examining overall birth rates, local and county-level trends must be analyzed to develop more targeted policies.”
Marked regional differences across New York
Fertility rates vary considerably across the state:
The highest rates were in Rockland, Jefferson, and Orange counties;
The lowest were in Otsego County, New York City (Manhattan), and Tompkins County.
Family structure: The share of single-mother households is rising
In 2021, households with infants were structured as follows:
65% consisted of opposite-sex married couples;
17% were single-mother households;
13% consisted of cohabiting partners of any gender;
5% were headed by single fathers.
As children grew older, the share of married couples declined while the share of single-mother households rose further.
Other findings: Slightly more boys than girls and popular names lead trends
About 4,270 more boys than girls were born in New York State in 2021. In 2020, Liam, Noah, and Olivia were the most popular baby names among New York parents.
Declining fertility creates policy and infrastructure challenges
New York State and the broader northeastern United States face the combined challenges of declining fertility and an aging population. This trend affects population structure and will have far-reaching implications for policymaking and infrastructure planning.
Experts say greater attention to local demographic trends will be needed to address the social issues created by these changes more precisely.
Source:
Collected online