The Great Recession baby bust: By the numbers

More people are postponing having children until the economy recovers.

(Image credit: Corbis)

last updated 11 January 2015

The number of babies born in the U.S. dropped an estimated 2.6 percent in 2009, following a 2 percent dip in 2008, and 2009's birth rate dropped to the lowest level in at least a century. That's no coincidence, says Johns Hopkins sociologist Andrew Cherlin. "The birth rate is falling because of the Great Recession," he says. "When people are unsure of their financial future, they tend to postpone having children" — or even getting married. Federal health officials tentatively agree with Cherlin, but say more data is needed. Here's a by-the-numbers look at the Great Recession's baby bust:

$221,000