A stark demographic trend has emerged in the United States, as the country’s birth rate plummeted to an almost record low in 2024, according to preliminary data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The staggering figure of approximately 3.6 million newborns last year marks only a 1% increase from the previous record-low birth count in 2023, a trend that has persisted since the Great Recession of 2007.
While there was a brief uptick in births in 2021, the overall decline has been consistent, with a more recent shift towards older women having children. The data reveals that the birth rate among women aged 30-34 increased by 1% between 2023 and 2024, followed by similar growth rates for those aged 35-39 (1%) and 40-44 (2%). In contrast, the birth rate of women in their early twenties declined by a notable 2%.
These trends have not gone unnoticed, with some prominent figures sounding the alarm. Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and a key adviser to President Trump, expressed his concerns about the nation’s falling birth rate during an interview on Fox News. “The birth rate is very low in almost every country, and unless that changes, civilization will disappear,” he warned.
In response, the Trump administration has considered various policies to encourage American women to have more children. These proposals include a $5,000 cash incentive for new mothers and reserving 30% of Fulbright program scholarships for applicants who are married with children. President Trump recently expressed his support for the idea of rewarding new mothers, stating, “Sounds like a good idea to me.”
As the nation grapples with this demographic shift, it remains to be seen what policies will ultimately be implemented to address the falling birth rate and its potential long-term consequences on American society.
Sourced from https://thehill.com/