Summarised by Centrist
New Zealand’s fertility rate hit a record low in 2023, with more than 1,930 fewer births compared to the previous year. Despite a 3% increase in women aged 15 to 49, the fertility rate plummeted to 1.56 births per woman, far below the replacement level of 2.1.
Factors such as education, workforce participation, and access to contraception contribute to fewer children being born.
Rebekah Hennessey, Stats NZ’s population insights analyst, noted a trend toward smaller family sizes and increased childlessness.
The median age of childbirth rose slightly to 31.3 years old.
This decline in births is coupled with the lowest annual population increase (excluding migration) since World War II.
Reasons for the drop in births are multifaceted and include economic factors such as the high cost of living and housing, alongside broader demographic shifts.
