Number of U.S. births rises 2% in '03
By Kay Anderson -- Kids Today, 6/1/2005
High Point— Based on the preliminary data from the National Center for Health Statistics, the number of births in the United States was 4,091,063 in 2003, up 2% from the final 2002 number. This breaks the downward trend of births experienced from 2000 to 2002. Significantly, Generation Y is now between 20 and 29, the ages when many women first have children.
The crude birth rate rose to 14.1 births per 1,000 people in 2003, up from 13.9 in 2002. This is the first increase in the rate since 2000. The crude rate has generally decreased; the rate for 2003 was 16% lower than the recent high of 16.7 in 1990.
Crude birth rates were higher in 2003 than in 2002 for most states. The most significant increases were in California, Florida, Indiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio and Wisconsin.
Fertility rates vary considerably from state to state. In 2003, fertility rates ranged from a high of 92.2 births per 1,000 women between the ages of 15 and 44 years in Utah to a low of 51.1 in Vermont. Fertility rates increased significantly in 30 states and were essentially unchanged for Washington D.C. and 20 states.
The general fertility rate compares births to the number of women in their childbearing ages, 15–44 years, so is more indicative of changes in fertility behavior than is the crude birth rate. The fertility rate rose to 66.1 in 2003, a 2% increase from 2002. Like the crude birth rate, the fertility rate has also generally trended downward during the past decade; the 2003 rate was 7% lower than the recent high of 70.9
| Area | All races | % minority |
| California | 540,995 | 69% |
| Texas | 381,239 | 63% |
| New York | 254,187 | 48% |
| Florida | 212,286 | 51% |
| Illinois | 182,590 | 45% |
| Ohio | 151,983 | 21% |
| Pennsylvania | 140,660 | 25% |
| Georgia | 136,012 | 49% |
| Michigan | 130,937 | 29% |
| North Carolina | 118,308 | 40% |
| Source: National Center for Health Statistics, Preliminary data for 2003 |
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| Under 20 | 21% |
| 20–24 | 29% |
| 25–29 | 24% |
| 30–34 | 18% |
| 35–39 | 7% |
| 40 or older | 1% |
| Source: National Center for Health Statistics, Preliminary data for 2003 |
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| Area | All races | Non-Hispanic White2 | black2 | Asian or Pacific Islander total2 | Hispanic3 | Total % minority4 |
| United States1 | 4,091,063 | 57% | 15% | 5% | 22% | 43% |
| Alabama | 59,621 | 64% | 30% | 1% | 5% | 36% |
| Alaska | 10,122 | 48% | 4% | 7% | 8% | 52% |
| Arizona | 91,005 | 43% | 4% | 3% | 44% | 57% |
| Arkansas | 38,159 | 70% | 19% | 1% | 9% | 30% |
| California | 540,995 | 31% | 6% | 12% | 50% | 69% |
| Colorado | 69,363 | 61% | 4% | 4% | 31% | 39% |
| Connecticut | 42,848 | 65% | 12% | 5% | 18% | 35% |
| Delaware | 11,264 | 58% | 26% | 4% | 12% | 42% |
| District of Columbia | 7,606 | 24% | 69% | 3% | 13% | 76% |
| Florida | 212,286 | 49% | 22% | 3% | 26% | 51% |
| Georgia | 136,012 | 51% | 32% | 3% | 13% | 49% |
| Hawaii | 18,114 | 24% | 3% | 70% | 14% | 76% |
| Idaho | 21,802 | 82% | 0% | 2% | 13% | 18% |
| Illinois | 182,590 | 55% | 17% | 5% | 23% | 45% |
| Indiana | 86,600 | 79% | 11% | 2% | 8% | 21% |
| Iowa | 38,182 | 87% | 3% | 2% | 7% | 13% |
| Kansas | 39,493 | 74% | 7% | 3% | 14% | 26% |
| Kentucky | 55,281 | 86% | 9% | 2% | 4% | 14% |
| Louisiana | 65,298 | 55% | 40% | 2% | 3% | 45% |
| Maine | 13,861 | 95% | 1% | 2% | 1% | 5% |
| Maryland | 74,856 | 53% | 33% | 5% | 8% | 47% |
| Massachusetts | 80,250 | 72% | 11% | 7% | 12% | 28% |
| Michigan | 130,937 | 71% | 17% | 4% | 6% | 29% |
| Minnesota | 70,157 | 77% | 8% | 6% | 7% | 23% |
| Mississippi | 42,362 | 54% | 43% | 1% | 1% | 46% |
| Missouri | 77,079 | 78% | 14% | 2% | 5% | 22% |
| Montana | 11,416 | 81% | 0% | 1% | 3% | 19% |
| Nebraska | 25,924 | 75% | 6% | 2% | 13% | 25% |
| Nevada | 33,644 | 46% | 9% | 8% | 36% | 54% |
| New Hampshire | 14,393 | 87% | 2% | 3% | 4% | 13% |
| New Jersey | 116,269 | 53% | 17% | 9% | 23% | 47% |
| New Mexico | 27,845 | 31% | 2% | 1% | 53% | 69% |
| New York | 254,187 | 52% | 19% | 8% | 22% | 48% |
| North Carolina | 118,308 | 60% | 23% | 3% | 14% | 40% |
| North Dakota | 7,975 | 82% | 1% | 1% | 2% | 18% |
| Ohio | 151,983 | 79% | 15% | 2% | 4% | 21% |
| Oklahoma | 50,484 | 67% | 9% | 2% | 11% | 33% |
| Oregon | 45,975 | 72% | 2% | 5% | 18% | 28% |
| Pennsylvania | 140,660 | 75% | 15% | 4% | 7% | 25% |
| Rhode Island | 13,192 | 55% | 10% | 4% | 19% | 45% |
| South Carolina | 55,658 | 59% | 33% | 2% | 6% | 41% |
| South Dakota | 11,035 | 78% | 1% | 1% | 3% | 22% |
| Tennessee | 78,901 | 71% | 21% | 2% | 6% | 29% |
| Texas | 381,239 | 37% | 11% | 3% | 49% | 63% |
| Utah | 49,870 | 81% | 1% | 3% | 14% | 19% |
| Vermont | 6,591 | 96% | 1% | 2% | 1% | 4% |
| Virginia | 101,226 | 62% | 22% | 6% | 10% | 38% |
| Washington | 80,474 | 67% | 5% | 10% | 17% | 33% |
| West Virginia | 20,908 | 95% | 3% | 1% | 0% | 5% |
| Wisconsin | 70,053 | 78% | 9% | 3% | 8% | 22% |
| Wyoming | 6,708 | 84% | 1% | 1% | 10% | 16% |
| 1. Excludes data for territories. Race and Hispanic designations are based on the race and origin of the mother. 2. Hispanics may be of any race, therefore data for persons of Hispanic origin are included in the data for each race group according to the mother's reported race 3. Includes all persons of Hispanic origin regardless of race 4. Includes all that are not classified as non-Hispanic white Source: National Center for Health Statistics, Preliminary data for 2003 |
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