Spiraling Housing Costs Behind Plummeting Birth Rate: Study
9 days ago
- #housing-costs
- #fertility-rate
- #demographics
- Rising housing costs in the U.S. are a major factor behind the declining birth rate, accounting for 51% of the fertility rate drop between the 2000s and 2010s.
- The U.S. fertility rate is projected to average 1.6 births per woman over the next 30 years, below the replacement rate of 2.1 needed for population stability.
- High rents delay family formation, push families into less child-friendly housing arrangements, and reduce overall fertility.
- Between 1990 and 2020, rents rose by 149%, outpacing cumulative inflation of 103%, while the fertility rate dropped from 2.08 to 1.64.
- Experts emphasize the need for more family-suitable housing and economic reforms to support those who want children, while acknowledging positive aspects of declining birth rates, such as increased reproductive choice.