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By Aliss Higham
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Americans are not unduly concerned about falling birthrates in the U.S. a new opinion poll conducted exclusively for Newsweek has found.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the general fertility rate has reached a historic low after decreasing almost every year since 2014. Fewer than 3.6 million babies were born in the U.S. in 2023, the lowest annual tally since 1979.
The issue is being increasingly discussed by experts and commentators, with X, formerly Twitter, CEO Elon Musk taking to the platform to say that the "collapsing birthrate is the biggest danger civilization faces by far."
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Experts have previously told Newsweek that combined with America's aging population, a huge economic and societal shift is likely on the horizon as the general population ages.
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But the issue doesn't seem to be bothering a large chunk of America's population. Polling conducted for Newsweek by Redfield & Wilton Strategies surveying 1,500 eligible U.S. voters on May 1 has found that 42 percent of Americans are "not at all concerned" over falling birthrates.
The polling found that while the majority (58 percent) expressed some level of apprehension, only 16 percent said they were very concerned about the ongoing drop in babies being born. Twenty-one percent said they were fairly concerned, with the same percentage reported for those who expressed being slightly concerned.
Men were found to be more bothered than women about lowered birthrates, with 22 percent saying they were very concerned, in comparison with only 10 percent of women who felt the same. A third (34 percent) of male respondents indicated low birthrates as something they are not concerned about—by comparison, almost half (49 percent) of all females surveyed said the same.
The percentage of Americans wanting to have children reflects the lack of concern over falling birthrates. The poll found that 48 percent of 18 to 24-year-olds and 61 percent of 25 to 34-year-olds—the ages at which women are considered medically prime for child bearing—who do not have any children already do not plan on having any.
This is despite the fact that younger people were more likely to be concerned about fewer babies being born. The survey found that 72 percent of those aged 18 to 24 were in some way concerned, while 70 percent of 25 to 34-year-olds said the same.
Neal Shah, founder and CEO of health-tech startup CareYaya, told Newsweek that the lack of desire to have children is down to a variety of factors, saying "2024 is a tough time to be a young adult."
"Inflation, the housing market, and a competitive job market are all daily issues that can, at points, seem insurmountable," he explained. "Stay-at-home moms are now work-from-home moms because, in many cities, families need two incomes to survive.
"The uncertainties and stresses heightened by the COVID-19 pandemic could prompt people to reconsider their life goals and family planning choices. At this point, the trauma and collateral damage have yet to be measured in young adults."
Falling birthrates are not a uniquely American problem. Other major economies, including Japan, China, South Korea and the United Kingdom, are also recording declines in the number of births each year.
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