Fertility rate

General fertility rate measures births relative to the population of females of childbearing age. The US Census Bureau analysis defines it as the number of births per 1,000 females ages 15 to 44. Total fertility rate is a theoretical estimate of how many children a woman would have over her lifetime if she experienced the current age-specific fertility rates. It estimates lifetime fertility from those rates.

6 facts · 1 storiesDocument updated

Established facts

  1. The Census Bureau county analysis covers only counties with at least 1,000 females ages 15 to 44 in 2025. That restriction includes 2,703 of the country's 3,144 counties.

    Verified · 2025

  2. General and total fertility rates describe related patterns but are not directly comparable numerical measures. The Census Bureau explicitly cautions that there is no direct comparison between them.

    Verified

  3. Low fertility rates take time to change a population's age structure. Migration and mortality also affect the balance between births and deaths, so that balance depends on demographic factors beyond fertility alone.

    Verified

  4. The US general fertility rate fell from 69.5 in 2007 to 53.1 in 2025. The Census Bureau identifies the 2025 figure as the lowest reported in the national series, which extends back to 1909.

    Verified · 2025

References

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Revision history

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