Birth Rate by State 2023

The birth rate is the number of live births per 1,000 population. The birth rate is used in conjunction with the mortality and migration rates to calculate population growth. The birth rate is often used interchangeably with fertility rate; however, fertility rate is the number of births per 1,000 women of childbearing age (ages 15 to 44) occurring in a particular year.

The birth rate is a concern for some governments. Some governments around the world are attempting to increase the birth rate with financial incentives or offering support services to new mothers. This is because these countries have lower birth rates than their mortality rates, resulting in a declining population. Other governments, however, have the opposite problem of high birth rates that are causing overpopulation. This is seen in China’s one-child policy.

Additionally, high birth rates are typically associated with low life expectancy, low living standards, and education levels, and low social status for women. Some countries’ policies to low the birth rate have focused on improving women’s rights and sexual and reproductive health. Improved information and access to birth control methods have achieved good results in Iran and Bangladesh.

The states with the lowest fertility rates are:

1. Vermont (44.9)
2. Rhode Island (48.3)
3. Oregon (48.9)
4. Massachusetts (49.0)
5. Maine (49.9)
6. New Hampshire (49.9)
7. Connecticut (52.1)
8. Colorado (52.5)
9. California (52.8)
10. New Mexico (52.9)

Vermont has the lowest fertility rate in the United States at 44.9 per 1,000 population. Many of the states with the lowest fertility rates are found in the Northeast. These states will likely see their populations shrink between 2030 and 2040.

The states with the highest fertility rates are:

1. South Dakota (68.6)
2. North Dakota (66.7)
3. Alaska (64.9)
4. Nebraska (64.4)
5. Utah (63.6)
6. Louisiana (62.7)
7. Arkansas (61.7)
8. Oklahoma (61.5)
9. Kansas (61.0)
10. Iowa (60.8)