CDC: U.S. births fell more dramatically among Black women than other demographics

As the U.S. birth rate continues to drop, the latest data shows that the steepest decline in birth rates from 2023-24 among racial demographics in the country was seen in the Black community. Black women, who have historically begun having children earlier than women in other racial demographics, are now joining what appears to be a growing trend of delayed motherhood.

Key Takeaways:

• According to CDC data, births among Black mothers declined 4% from 2023-2024.

• Black women are having first children later in life than they have historically.

• This follows a larger trend, as many young women are either delaying childbirth or forgoing it altogether.

The Details:

According to the CDC, while births among Black mothers declined 4% from 2023-24, births among American Indian and Alaska Native women declined by 2%, and births among white women declined by less than 1%. Births rose by 4% among Hispanic women and 5% among Asian women.

As reported by The Philadelphia Tribune, the average age at first birth for Black women is now 25.9. Black women are having first children later in life than they have historically, and at older ages on average than Latina and American Indian women, whose average ages at first birth are 25.2 and 24.2, respectively. They are also giving birth at younger ages on average than white and Asian women, whose average ages at first birth are 28.3 and 31.5, respectively.

In 2024, the birth rate among teenagers reached its lowest since 1979. Teenage births have historically affected the black community, but CDC data shows that the birth rates among Black teens ages 15-19 declined by 8%, just between 2023 and 2024.

Between 2023 and 2024, the overall birth rates declined among women ages 15-43, and rose for those 40-44. 

As previously reported by Live Action News, the birth rate for females ages 14 to 29 is expected to drop below the birth rate for women ages 30 to 49 for the first time in American history.

Zoom In:

Many young women are either delaying childbirth or forgoing it altogether. By delaying childbirth, it is more likely that they will have fewer children than if they had begun in their 20s instead of their 30s. 

Black women are increasingly a part of this trend.

The Philadelphia Tribune points to several factors which could be influencing Black women (and women of other ethnicities) from having children later in life or foregoing childbirth:

• Educational attainment: More Black women are earning college degrees and are outpacing black men in this area.

• Cost of living (housing and childcare) as well as student loans, compounded by possible racial wealth gaps.

• Possible gaps in maternal care among black women could also be a factor.

The overall U.S. birth rate hit a record low in 2024 at 1.6 children per woman — well below the replacement rate of 2.1 births per woman. This number reflects births across racial demographics, suggesting there is more at play than racial differences. 

The Bottom Line:

Previous analyses from Live Action News suggest that the decline of births across the diverse population of the United States could be attributed to new cultural norms rooted in individualism, which place other life goals and desires above having children.