Utah’s fertility rate has dropped again, according to federal data.
The decline also means Utah’s rank nationally has fallen in comparison to other states. In 2022, only three states had a higher total fertility rate than Utah. The most recently available data, from 2023, ranked Utah 10th.
The total fertility rate is determined by calculating the average number of children a woman will have if she survives all her childbearing years. In 2022, Utah’s total fertility rate was 1.853. The 2023 rate was 1.801 — a drop of 2.8%, according to an analysis of the data released Friday by the University of Utah’s Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute.
The decrease in Utah’s rate, the institute said, was driven mainly by fertility declines among women age 25-29 and 30-34.
Eight age ranges are compiled in the data. The only age ranges that saw increases were the youngest — ages 15 to 17 — and the oldest, from 45 to 49.
The decrease in Utah’s rate, the institute said, was driven mainly by fertility declines among women age 25-29 and 30-34.
Eight age ranges are compiled in the data. The only age ranges that saw increases were the youngest — ages 15 to 17 — and the oldest, from 45 to 49.
Read the full report at sltrib.com.
This article is published through the Utah News Collaborative, a partnership of news organizations in Utah that aims to inform readers across the state.