2023 Pew Research Center survey finds 10% increase in US adults under 50 unlikely to have children, with 50% citing personal choice as main reason.
A recent Pew Research Center survey found that the share of American adults under 50 who say they are unlikely to ever have children has increased by 10 percentage points between 2019 and 2023. Half of those who don't want children cited personal choice as their main reason. A separate survey indicated that almost half of respondents believe fewer people choosing to have children in the future would negatively impact the country, particularly for men, older people, Republicans, and those with higher incomes. Six in ten people believe a federal policy offering free childcare could encourage more people to have children, and half of the respondents support requiring employers to provide paid family leave. Families spend an average of 24% of their household income on childcare expenses, equivalent to $18,000 a year for nearly half of respondents, according to a Bank of America Institute report. Childcare costs have surged since before the pandemic.