The U.S. birth rate has been on a steady decline, as fewer Americans are having kids. Experts weigh in on varying factors, including career, cost and mental health, that could be deterring people.
As former President Donald Trump continues to brush off any criticisms of his running mate Ohio Sen. JD Vance’s resurfaced comments from 2021 that „childless cat ladies“ destroyed American values — with Trump emphasizing that adults without children are just as good as parents and that Vance strongly values family in his own life given his tumultuous upbringing — Americans are having fewer and fewer children.
Vance himself, the GOP’s vice presidential candidate, said his comments from three years ago were „radically“ taken out of context by Democrats.
Describing himself as „pro-family“, he also told Fox News‘ Trey Gowdy, host of „Sunday Night in America“, that he firmly believes „there are a whole host of people who don’t have children for a whole host of reasons, and they certainly are great people who can participate fully in the life of this country.“
He said Democrats have become increasingly „anti-family“ and „anti-parent“ over the years as they cite climate change concerns as one reason not to have children.
Whatever the reasons, in April, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that the birth rate in America has dropped to a historic low, decreasing by 3% since 2022. The rate has been on a steady decline since 2014, except for a brief 1% increase from 2020 to 2021.
In recent years, the priorities of young Americans have been changing, including the desire to have children, the data suggests.
Experts say this drop-off could be caused by many factors — including a heightened focus on career goals, the cost of raising children, a priority on personal liberty and mental health, the fear of an uncertain future and growing fertility concerns. Career comes first?
Kyle Elliott, a career coach and job search expert based in Santa Barbara, California, told Fox News Digital about a lack of interest in having children among working professionals.
„I am seeing a huge increase in the focus of careers among Americans“, he said.
„They’re recognizing that it’s more challenging to balance work and life because their careers are taking up more time.“
Many Americans are working 50 to 60 hours per week, according to Elliott.
„Trying to balance that is a lot more difficult than it was 20, 10 or even five years ago“, he said.
Individuals who work extended hours are more likely to meet their career goals and earn more money, he said — so many find it „helpful“ to forgo parenting commitments.
Company policies for parental leave and child care also come into play, Elliott said.
While some American businesses have improved accommodations for new parents, the U.S. is „still far behind compared to other countries“, he said.
When employees return from maternity or paternity leave, they’re often still responsible for child care, Elliott noted, which can be „really difficult to balance.“
„I think it would benefit both the employee and the employer if organizations provided more accommodations, whether that’s child care or additional leave or more flexibility, such as remote work or work from anywhere“, he said.
