Jobs and other incentives have driven people in and out of cities for decades. But local economies can also be affected by birth rates and the size of families. From medical facilities and schools, to other institutions and businesses, birth rates and family size can influence both job and housing markets.
With this in mind, SmartAsset examined U.S. Census data for 37 of the largest U.S. cities to determine where birth rates and family sizes are highest and lowest.
Key Findings
The birth rate in major U.S. cities is lower than the national average. Across all locations, the average rate of women aged 15 to 50 having a child in 2022 is 5.2%, compared to 5.0% in major cities. However, the average family size across the U.S. is 3.11, compared to 3.15 in major cities.
Of all major U.S. cities, Indianapolis has the highest birth rate. Just over 6.5% of women between the ages of 15 and 50 gave birth, making Indianapolis the city where people are having children at the highest rate. This is an increase from the year before, when 5.8% of women between 15 and 50 had a child. Meanwhile, the average family size dropped from 3.24 in 2021 to 3.12 in 2022.
Texas cities dominate the top 10 for highest birth rates. Four Texas cities rank for highest birth rates, including Dallas in second at 6.3%; El Paso (fifth, 5.9%); San Antonio (sixth, 5.8%); and Houston (eighth, 5.6%). Fort Worth, El Paso and San Antonio also rank among the top 10 for largest family size with averages of 3.39, 3.38 and 3.34 respectively.
Families are largest in this city. On average, families in Fresno, CA consist of 3.61 people, which is above the 3.14 median across major cities. The birth rate here is fourth-highest studywide at 5.9%, after coming down from 6.5% just a year before.
The average Seattle family is small. Seattle has both the lowest birth rate at 2.6%, as well as the smallest family size at 2.78 people per family. Milwaukee (3.2%) and Boston (3.4%) have the second- and third-lowest birth rates.
Despite a small family size, the birth rate cracks the top 10 in this city. Nashville has the second-smallest average family size out of major U.S. cities at 2.85 people. Despite this, the city ranked with the 10th-highest birth rate at 5.5%.
10 Major U.S. Cities With the Highest Birth Rates
Cities are ranked by the percent of women aged 15 to 50 who birthed a child in 2022 according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Indianapolis, IN
Average family size, 2022: 3.12
Number of women aged 15 to 50 in 2022: 222,497
Number of women aged 15 to 50 years who had a birth in 2022: 14,482
Percent of women aged 15-50 who had a child in 2022: 6.5%
Average family size, 2021: 3.24
Number of women aged 15 to 50 in 2021: 223,981
Number of women aged 15 to 50 years who had a birth in 2021: 12,950
Percent of women aged 15-50 who had a child in 2021: 5.8%
Dallas, TX
Average family size, 2022: 3.30
Number of women aged 15 to 50 in 2022: 348,616
Number of women aged 15 to 50 years who had a birth in 2022: 21,862
Percent of women aged 15-50 who had a child in 2022: 6.3%
Average family size, 2021: 3.30
Number of women aged 15 to 50 in 2021: 334,151
Number of women aged 15 to 50 years who had a birth in 2021: 20,503
Percent of women aged 15-50 who had a child in 2021: 6.1%
Las Vegas, NV
Average family size, 2022: 3.33
Number of women aged 15 to 50 in 2022: 154,144
Number of women aged 15 to 50 years who had a birth in 2022: 9,477
Percent of women aged 15-50 who had a child in 2022: 6.1%
Average family size, 2021: 3.26
Number of women aged 15 to 50 in 2021: 150,398
Number of women aged 15 to 50 years who had a birth in 2021: 6,570
Percent of women aged 15-50 who had a child in 2021: 4.4%
Fresno, CA
Average family size, 2022: 3.61
Number of women aged 15 to 50 in 2022: 134,334
Number of women aged 15 to 50 years who had a birth in 2022: 7,955
Percent of women aged 15-50 who had a child in 2022: 5.9%
Average family size, 2021: 3.65
Number of women aged 15 to 50 in 2021: 137,326
Number of women aged 15 to 50 years who had a birth in 2021: 8,860
Percent of women aged 15-50 who had a child in 2021: 6.5%
El Paso, TX
Average family size, 2022: 3.38
Number of women aged 15 to 50 in 2022: 165,451
Number of women aged 15 to 50 years who had a birth in 2022: 9,757
Percent of women aged 15-50 who had a child in 2022: 5.9%
Average family size, 2021: 3.32
Number of women aged 15 to 50 in 2021: 166,749
Number of women aged 15 to 50 years who had a birth in 2021: 11,296
Percent of women aged 15-50 who had a child in 2021: 6.8%
San Antonio, TX
Average family size, 2022: 3.34
Number of women aged 15 to 50 in 2022: 375,866
Number of women aged 15 to 50 years who had a birth in 2022: 21,850
Percent of women aged 15-50 who had a child in 2022: 5.8%
Average family size, 2021: 3.25
Number of women aged 15 to 50 in 2021: 376,676
Number of women aged 15 to 50 years who had a birth in 2021: 21,617
Percent of women aged 15-50 who had a child in 2021: 5.7%
Oklahoma City, OK
Average family size, 2022: 3.14
Number of women aged 15 to 50 in 2022: 179,663
Number of women aged 15 to 50 years who had a birth in 2022: 10,374
Percent of women aged 15-50 who had a child in 2022: 5.8%
Average family size, 2021: 3.12
Number of women aged 15 to 50 in 2021: 171,752
Number of women aged 15 to 50 years who had a birth in 2021: 8,379
Percent of women aged 15-50 who had a child in 2021: 4.9%
Houston, TX
Average family size, 2022: 3.14
Number of women aged 15 to 50 in 2022: 610,618
Number of women aged 15 to 50 years who had a birth in 2022: 34,250
Percent of women aged 15-50 who had a child in 2022: 5.6%
Average family size, 2021: 3.16
Number of women aged 15 to 50 in 2021: 612,704
Number of women aged 15 to 50 years who had a birth in 2021: 36,192
Percent of women aged 15-50 who had a child in 2021: 5.9%
Columbus, OH
Average family size, 2022: 3.03
Number of women aged 15 to 50 in 2022: 250,708
Number of women aged 15 to 50 years who had a birth in 2022: 14,009
Percent of women aged 15-50 who had a child in 2022: 5.6%
Average family size, 2021: 3.00
Number of women aged 15 to 50 in 2021: 249,550
Number of women aged 15 to 50 years who had a birth in 2021: 14,458
Percent of women aged 15-50 who had a child in 2021: 5.8%
Nashville, TN
Average family size, 2022: 2.85
Number of women aged 15 to 50 in 2022: 189,377
Number of women aged 15 to 50 years who had a birth in 2022: 10,507
Percent of women aged 15-50 who had a child in 2022: 5.5%
Average family size, 2021: 2.84
Number of women aged 15 to 50 in 2021: 189,037
Number of women aged 15 to 50 years who had a birth in 2021: 10,500
Percent of women aged 15-50 who had a child in 2021: 5.6%
10 Major U.S. Cities With the Lowest Birth Rates
Cities are ranked by the percent of women aged 15 to 50 who birthed a child in 2022 according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Seattle, WA
Average family size, 2022: 2.78
Number of women aged 15 to 50 in 2022: 219,609
Number of women aged 15 to 50 years who had a birth in 2022: 5,760
Percent of women aged 15-50 who had a child in 2022: 2.6%
Average family size, 2021: 2.75
Number of women aged 15 to 50 in 2021: 218,807
Number of women aged 15 to 50 years who had a birth in 2021: 7,485
Percent of women aged 15-50 who had a child in 2021: 3.4%
Milwaukee, WI
Average family size, 2022: 3.36
Number of women aged 15 to 50 in 2022: 152,311
Number of women aged 15 to 50 years who had a birth in 2022: 4,848
Percent of women aged 15-50 who had a child in 2022: 3.2%
Average family size, 2021: 3.18
Number of women aged 15 to 50 in 2021: 155,828
Number of women aged 15 to 50 years who had a birth in 2021: 7,648
Percent of women aged 15-50 who had a child in 2021: 4.9%
Boston, MA
Average family size, 2022: 2.90
Number of women aged 15 to 50 in 2022: 199,435
Number of women aged 15 to 50 years who had a birth in 2022: 6,760
Percent of women aged 15-50 who had a child in 2022: 3.4%
Average family size, 2021: 3.09
Number of women aged 15 to 50 in 2021: 199,696
Number of women aged 15 to 50 years who had a birth in 2021: 6,974
Percent of women aged 15-50 who had a child in 2021: 3.5%
Portland, OR
Average family size, 2022: 2.92
Number of women aged 15 to 50 in 2022: 176,930
Number of women aged 15 to 50 years who had a birth in 2022: 6,239
Percent of women aged 15-50 who had a child in 2022: 3.5%
Average family size, 2021: 2.91
Number of women aged 15 to 50 in 2021: 181,433
Number of women aged 15 to 50 years who had a birth in 2021: 4,908
Percent of women aged 15-50 who had a child in 2021: 2.7%
Austin, TX
Average family size, 2022: 2.88
Number of women aged 15 to 50 in 2022: 285,094
Number of women aged 15 to 50 years who had a birth in 2022: 10,736
Percent of women aged 15-50 who had a child in 2022: 3.8%
Average family size, 2021: 2.94
Number of women aged 15 to 50 in 2021: 281,594
Number of women aged 15 to 50 years who had a birth in 2021: 12,540
Percent of women aged 15-50 who had a child in 2021: 4.5%
San Diego, CA
Average family size, 2022: 3.15
Number of women aged 15 to 50 in 2022: 362,133
Number of women aged 15 to 50 years who had a birth in 2022: 14,666
Percent of women aged 15-50 who had a child in 2022: 4.0%
Average family size, 2021: 3.27
Number of women aged 15 to 50 in 2021: 358,444
Number of women aged 15 to 50 years who had a birth in 2021: 15,293
Percent of women aged 15-50 who had a child in 2021: 4.3%
Washington, DC
Average family size, 2022: 3.02
Number of women aged 15 to 50 in 2022: 202,248
Number of women aged 15 to 50 years who had a birth in 2022: 8,309
Percent of women aged 15-50 who had a child in 2022: 4.1%
Average family size, 2021: 3.03
Number of women aged 15 to 50 in 2021: 200,232
Number of women aged 15 to 50 years who had a birth in 2021: 7,874
Percent of women aged 15-50 who had a child in 2021: 3.9%
Denver, CO
Average family size, 2022: 2.96
Number of women aged 15 to 50 in 2022: 203,692
Number of women aged 15 to 50 years who had a birth in 2022: 8,490
Percent of women aged 15-50 who had a child in 2022: 4.2%
Average family size, 2021: 2.98
Number of women aged 15 to 50 in 2021: 203,324
Number of women aged 15 to 50 years who had a birth in 2021: 7,708
Percent of women aged 15-50 who had a child in 2021: 3.8%
Los Angeles, CA
Average family size, 2022: 3.35
Number of women aged 15 to 50 in 2022: 989,408
Number of women aged 15 to 50 years who had a birth in 2022: 41,703
Percent of women aged 15-50 who had a child in 2022: 4.2%
Average family size, 2021: 3.44
Number of women aged 15 to 50 in 2021: 1,003,660
Number of women aged 15 to 50 years who had a birth in 2021: 42,460
Percent of women aged 15-50 who had a child in 2021: 4.2%
Chicago, IL
Average family size, 2022: 3.17
Number of women aged 15 to 50 in 2022: 727,723
Number of women aged 15 to 50 years who had a birth in 2022: 30,946
Percent of women aged 15-50 who had a child in 2022: 4.3%
Average family size, 2021: 3.26
Number of women aged 15 to 50 in 2021: 730,136
Number of women aged 15 to 50 years who had a birth in 2021: 33,023
Percent of women aged 15-50 who had a child in 2021: 4.5%
Data and Methodology
To determine the birth rate, SmartAsset reviewed the most recently available Census Bureau data for 2022 and 2021. For 37 of the largest U.S. cities for which data was available, the number of women aged 15 to 50 who had a baby in the past 12 months was compared against the total number of women aged 15 to 50. Average family size was also considered.
This story was produced by SmartAsset and reviewed and distributed by Stacker Media.