In April 2026, the CDC reported that births in the United States fell 1% in 2025 to 3,606,400. The general fertility rate also dropped to 53.1 births per 1,000 women ages 15 to 44, a new record low. Teen births fell again too, reaching 11.7 per 1,000 women ages 15 to 19. (cdc.gov)

Why are many younger adults not having children? A big new clue comes from Pew Research Center. In a 2024 survey, 47% of adults under 50 without children said they were unlikely to ever have them, up from 37% in 2018. Among those people, the most common reason was simple: 57% said they just did not want children. Other major reasons were wanting to focus on other things (44%), worries about the state of the world (38%), and not being able to afford a child (36%). (pewresearch.org)

Money is clearly part of the story. The U.S. Department of Labor says families spend about 8.9% to 16.0% of their median income on full-day child care for just one child, and in some counties the cost of infant care is higher than rent. The Census Bureau has also reported rising child-care costs and a drop in the number of child-care businesses during the pandemic period. (dol.gov)

Timing matters too. CDC data show that first births are shifting away from women under 25 and toward women in their 30s and older. In other words, many Americans are not always saying “no” to children; some are saying “not yet.” But “later” can easily become “maybe never” when housing, work, and child care all feel expensive. (blogs.cdc.gov)

There is also the question of stress. In 2023, 48% of parents said that on most days their stress was completely overwhelming, compared with 26% of other adults, according to the U.S. Surgeon General’s advisory on parents. When young adults look at that reality, some may decide that parenthood is not the life they want. America’s record-low birth rate is not caused by one reason alone. It is a mix of personal choice, high costs, delayed family plans, and anxiety about the future. (hhs.gov)