Fertility rate, total in North America
North America: Fertility rate, total was 1.59 births per woman in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
1.59 births per woman
Change on year
up 0.4%
Rank
35th
of 45 groups
All-time high
3.67 births per woman
in 1960
All-time low
1.58 births per woman
in 2023
Years of data
65
1960–2024
Fertility rate, total in North America, 1960–2024
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division. Measured in births per woman.
Analysis
The most recent figure for fertility rate, total in North America is 1.59 births per woman, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.4% on the previous year and down 13.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fertility rate, total in North America peaked at 3.67 births per woman in 1960 and was at its lowest, 1.58 births per woman, in 2023.
North America ranks 35th of 45 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 65 years of available data.
Fertility rate, total in North America, year by year
| Year | births per woman | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 3.67 births per woman | — |
| 1961 | 3.63 births per woman | -1.0% |
| 1962 | 3.48 births per woman | -4.2% |
| 1963 | 3.35 births per woman | -3.9% |
| 1964 | 3.21 births per woman | -3.9% |
| 1965 | 2.93 births per woman | -8.8% |
| 1966 | 2.72 births per woman | -7.1% |
| 1967 | 2.56 births per woman | -6.2% |
| 1968 | 2.46 births per woman | -3.9% |
| 1969 | 2.44 births per woman | -0.5% |
| 1970 | 2.46 births per woman | +0.6% |
| 1971 | 2.25 births per woman | -8.3% |
| 1972 | 2.01 births per woman | -10.9% |
| 1973 | 1.88 births per woman | -6.3% |
| 1974 | 1.84 births per woman | -2.4% |
| 1975 | 1.78 births per woman | -3.1% |
| 1976 | 1.74 births per woman | -2.0% |
| 1977 | 1.79 births per woman | +2.6% |
| 1978 | 1.76 births per woman | -1.6% |
| 1979 | 1.8 births per woman | +2.4% |
| 1980 | 1.83 births per woman | +1.5% |
| 1981 | 1.8 births per woman | -1.6% |
| 1982 | 1.81 births per woman | +0.7% |
| 1983 | 1.79 births per woman | -1.5% |
| 1984 | 1.79 births per woman | +0.2% |
| 1985 | 1.83 births per woman | +2.0% |
| 1986 | 1.82 births per woman | -0.3% |
| 1987 | 1.85 births per woman | +1.7% |
| 1988 | 1.91 births per woman | +3.0% |
| 1989 | 1.99 births per woman | +4.2% |
| 1990 | 2.06 births per woman | +3.3% |
| 1991 | 2.03 births per woman | -1.4% |
| 1992 | 2.01 births per woman | -0.8% |
| 1993 | 1.99 births per woman | -1.3% |
| 1994 | 1.97 births per woman | -0.8% |
| 1995 | 1.95 births per woman | -1.2% |
| 1996 | 1.94 births per woman | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 1.93 births per woman | -0.5% |
| 1998 | 1.95 births per woman | +1.3% |
| 1999 | 1.96 births per woman | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 2 births per woman | +2.0% |
| 2001 | 1.98 births per woman | -1.0% |
| 2002 | 1.97 births per woman | -0.6% |
| 2003 | 2 births per woman | +1.4% |
| 2004 | 2 births per woman | +0.2% |
| 2005 | 2.01 births per woman | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 2.06 births per woman | +2.5% |
| 2007 | 2.07 births per woman | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 2.03 births per woman | -1.9% |
| 2009 | 1.97 births per woman | -3.1% |
| 2010 | 1.9 births per woman | -3.4% |
| 2011 | 1.87 births per woman | -1.8% |
| 2012 | 1.85 births per woman | -0.7% |
| 2013 | 1.83 births per woman | -1.2% |
| 2014 | 1.84 births per woman | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 1.82 births per woman | -1.0% |
| 2016 | 1.8 births per woman | -1.2% |
| 2017 | 1.74 births per woman | -3.0% |
| 2018 | 1.71 births per woman | -2.1% |
| 2019 | 1.68 births per woman | -1.5% |
| 2020 | 1.62 births per woman | -3.8% |
| 2021 | 1.64 births per woman | +1.4% |
| 2022 | 1.62 births per woman | -1.1% |
| 2023 | 1.58 births per woman | -2.7% |
| 2024 | 1.59 births per woman | +0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3.05 births per woman | 2.44 births per woman | 3.67 births per woman | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.93 births per woman | 1.74 births per woman | 2.46 births per woman | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.84 births per woman | 1.79 births per woman | 1.99 births per woman | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.98 births per woman | 1.93 births per woman | 2.06 births per woman | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.01 births per woman | 1.97 births per woman | 2.07 births per woman | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.8 births per woman | 1.68 births per woman | 1.9 births per woman | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.61 births per woman | 1.58 births per woman | 1.64 births per woman | 5 |
Countries ranked near North America
- 32 South Sudan 3.79 births per woman compare
- 33 Senegal 3.77 births per woman compare
- 34 Guinea-Bissau 3.76 births per woman compare
- 35 Sierra Leone 3.7 births per woman compare
- 36 Eritrea 3.68 births per woman compare
- 37 Zimbabwe 3.67 births per woman compare
- 38 Rwanda 3.65 births per woman compare
More health data for North America
- Population ages 15-64, total, annual growth rate 0.1915 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, female, annual growth rate 0.1548 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, female, per capita 0.3155 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, male, annual growth rate 0.2266 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, male, per capita 0.3299 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above, male, annual growth rate 3.32 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above, female, per capita 0.1004 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fertility rate, total in North America?
- Fertility rate, total in North America was 1.59 births per woman in 2024, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest fertility rate, total recorded in North America?
- The highest recorded value was 3.67 births per woman in 1960.
- What is the lowest fertility rate, total recorded in North America?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.58 births per woman in 2023.
- How does North America rank for fertility rate, total?
- North America ranks 35th out of 45 groups with data for 2024.
- Is fertility rate, total rising or falling in North America?
- Over the last ten years it is down 13.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this North America data come from?
- The figures come from World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division, published as part of Fertility rate, total (births per woman). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total fertility rate represents the number of children that would be born to a woman if she were to live to the end of her childbearing years and bear children in accordance with age-specific fertility rates of the specified year.