Childlessness declined among women ages 45 to 50 over the past decade, suggesting more women are delaying motherhood, according to the Census Bureau.
A new report from the Census Bureau indicating an increase in childless women across America has raised concern among some economists over future implications for Social Security as well as the national workforce.
The report shows the share of childless women increased in almost every age group, with a dramatic rise among women in their twenties and early thirties.
In 2024, the percentage of childless women aged 20–24 jumped to 85 percent, up from 75 percent in 2014. Those aged 25–29 increased to 63 percent from 50 percent a decade ago.
Even women in their thirties and early forties chose to delay having children, as the census data show 40 percent of women from 30–34 were childless last year—a significant rise from 29 percent in 2014.
There were also fewer teen pregnancies in 2024, as 97.8 percent of females aged 15–19 remained childless, up from 95.9 percent in 2014.
The only group in which childlessness declined—indicating an increase in births—was women aged 45–50. In 2014, 16.7 percent of women in this age group were childless, compared with 14.9 percent last year.
According to the Census Bureau, this unexpected rise in births among women over 40 suggests that many may be waiting until they achieve their intended social and economic milestones before starting a family.
“Findings suggest that young adults today prioritize economic security over starting a family, reflecting the rising burden of housing, food, gas, and other costs,” the report states.
Samantha Trajkovski, a professor of economics at Saint Michael’s College in Vermont, told The Epoch Times that the drop in birth rates will eventually take its toll on the economy.
“This will have a big impact on Social Security in the next 20 to 30 years if we don’t find a solution,” she said. “It could mean cutting benefits to Social Security payments or raising taxes to cover the loss.”
The Social Security Administration (SSA) lists the current full retirement age at 67. Trajkovski expected the agency to continue raising that age, especially as younger people now are typically entering the job market at a later age after graduating from college or graduate school.
She also noted that the birth rate has been falling for several years—not only in the United States but also worldwide.
“We are now at below replacement rates—the amount of people we need to keep the population steady—and this could have significant economic and social effects globally.”
By Mary Prenon
