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US birth rate, 1960 to 2024

The US birth rate fell from 23.7 births per 1,000 people in 1960 to 10.6 in 2024, above the UK's 9.9 and Japan's 5.7 but below Mexico's 15.5.

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What the data shows

  • United States: 23.7 in 1960, 10.6 in 2024 (55% lower).
  • United Kingdom: 17.5 in 1960, 9.9 in 2024 (43% lower). It peaked at 18.8 in 1964.
  • Mexico: 46.9 in 1960, 15.5 in 2024 (67% lower).
  • Japan: 17.2 in 1960, 5.7 in 2024 (67% lower). It peaked at 19.4 in 1967.

About this chart

In 1960 the United States recorded 23.7 births per 1,000 people. The rate dropped to 18.4 in 1970 and 15.9 in 1980, ticked up to 16.7 in 1990, and has declined since: 14.4 in 2000, 13.0 in 2010, 10.9 in 2020 and 10.6 in 2024. It has fallen by more than half over the period. The one increase in the charted years came between 1980 and 1990.

This is the crude birth rate, live births per 1,000 people in the whole population, from the World Bank. It is affected by the age makeup of the population as well as by how many children women have. The chart compares the US with the United Kingdom (17.5 in 1960, 9.9 in 2024), Japan (17.2 to 5.7) and Mexico, which fell from 46.9 to 15.5. Mexico's rate is still higher than the US rate, but the gap has narrowed from 23.2 points to 4.9.

The data

Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (SP.DYN.CBRT.IN), crude birth rate per 1,000 people. Retrieved November 4, 2026.

US birth rate, Births per 1,000 people, 1960–2024
Date🇺🇸 United States🇬🇧 United Kingdom🇲🇽 Mexico🇯🇵 Japan
196023.717.546.917.2
196123.317.946.816.9
196222.418.346.817.0
196321.718.546.817.3
196421.118.846.817.7
196519.418.346.518.6
196618.417.946.313.7
196717.817.545.919.4
196817.617.245.618.6
196917.916.645.118.5
197018.416.244.518.8
197117.216.143.919.2
197215.614.943.019.3
197314.813.942.119.4
197414.813.141.218.6
197514.612.440.117.1
197614.612.039.116.3
197715.111.738.115.5
197815.012.237.414.9
197915.613.136.214.2
198015.913.435.013.6
198115.813.034.313.0
198215.912.833.912.8
198315.612.833.412.7
198415.612.933.112.5
198515.813.332.711.9
198615.613.332.311.4
198715.713.731.411.1
198816.013.830.410.8
198916.413.629.910.2
199016.713.929.410.0
199116.213.829.19.9
199215.813.628.79.8
199315.413.228.39.6
199415.013.027.710.0
199514.612.627.19.6
199614.412.626.49.7
199714.212.525.89.5
199814.312.325.19.6
199914.211.924.69.4
200014.411.524.29.5
200114.111.323.89.3
200214.011.323.49.2
200314.111.722.88.9
200414.011.922.48.8
200514.012.021.98.4
200614.312.321.58.7
200714.312.621.18.6
200814.012.920.88.7
200913.512.720.68.5
201013.012.920.38.5
201112.712.820.18.3
201212.612.819.98.2
201312.412.119.68.2
201412.512.019.08.0
201512.411.918.28.0
201612.211.817.77.8
201711.811.417.27.6
201811.611.017.07.4
201911.410.616.97.0
202010.910.216.66.8
202111.010.216.46.6
202211.010.116.06.3
202310.710.015.76.0
202410.69.915.55.7

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Frequently asked questions

What is the US birth rate?

The US crude birth rate was 10.6 births per 1,000 people in 2024. That is down from 10.9 in 2020, 13.0 in 2010 and 23.7 in 1960.

How does the US birth rate compare with the UK and Japan?

The US rate of 10.6 in 2024 is higher than the United Kingdom's 9.9 and Japan's 5.7. In 1960 the US was at 23.7, above both the UK at 17.5 and Japan at 17.2.

Is the US birth rate the same as the fertility rate?

No. The birth rate here is births per 1,000 people in the total population. The fertility rate is the average number of children per woman, which was 1.63 for the US in 2024 in World Bank data.

Where does this data come from?

World Bank, World Development Indicators (SP.DYN.CBRT.IN), crude birth rate per 1,000 people. Retrieved November 4, 2026. You can download the full table as a CSV from this page.

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