Monday, June 6, 2011

3PM Plummeting US birthrate


It used to be normal for people to have 5 or 6 children (before the advent and decriminalization of modern contraception in the sixties). The modern result is that fewer and fewer households have children under the age of 18 in them and household size is smaller as well. 95% of US counties, according to the Census, saw the share of the population of under 18s drop since 2000. And despite a 9.7% increase in US population, the total number with kids remained steady (38 million), which reduced the percentage with children from 36% to 33.5%. More households have dogs (43 million) than children! And if it weren’t for Hispanics, who not only have more children but are also relocating much more widely in the country these days, the numbers would be even worse. It is simply not possible for prosperity to persist in a country that won’t make and raise children.

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