Almost half of U.S. women between the ages of 15 and 44 are childless, new census data has revealed. That’s more women than in any other time since the Census Bureau began recording the figure in 1976, according to Time.
The 47.6% of women without children is an increase from 46.5% in 2012, the Current Population Survey reported, which also measured figures like jobs per mothers who gave birth in the past year and the percentage of unmarried women who are mothers.
Women between the ages of 25 and 29 hit another all-time high for remaining childfree, with a figure of 49.6%. The figure drops to 28.9% between the ages of 30 and 34.
Time reports that the general fertility rate (which is measured by measured by the number of babies women between 15 and 44 have over their lifetimes) had fallen for six straight years as of 2013. While many women remain childless by choice, the economy and social factors also impact the decision to have children — or not.
