The Vexing Problem of Depopulation and Childlessness
June 12, 2025
Over the past decade, the number of those who never married and had no children exceeded the share of Americans who are married with children. Nearly one-third of young voters did not have nor do they want to have children.
Recognizing such adverse trends is causing the Trump administration to debate alternative plans to increase marriages and births, including, for example, awarding mothers $5,000 after birthing a child. However, other countries that attacked flagging birthrates by implementing such measures have yet to return birthrates to the 2.1 replacement level needed to maintain population stability.
