For much of 2020, many American mothers-to-be were hesitant to carry pregnancies to term as COVID-19 vaccines had yet to be developed and distributed, hospitals were filling with infected patients and staff, families grappled with how to protect their vulnerable relatives, and indefinite work-stoppage mandates increased household economic uncertainty.
In 2021, the U.S. birth rate increased for the first time in seven years as vaccines began rolling out and many Americans were able to return back to work. But what many journalists and pundits had predicted would be a COVID baby bump turned out to be more of a baby blip.
By 2022, the long downward trend in U.S. fertility rates – common in the world’s developed countries – had begun again. In its preliminary estimate, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recorded 3,661,220 live births last year, a 1% year-over-year decrease from 2021. (See how many people were born the year you were born.)
To identify the states where more people were born in 2022 than in 2021, 24/7 Tempo reviewed the number of births in each state in 2021 and 2022 using preliminary data from the CDC. Population statistics for each state came from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Not every corner of the country was affected equally. According to the CDC, most states recorded a decline in live births, including six of the ten largest by population – led by Illinois and Michigan, which experienced respective birth rate declines of 3.1% and 2.7%.
But 13 states recorded birth-rate increases. Texas, the country’s second most-populous state, led the country with 389,417 live births last year, a 4.5% increase over the previous year. Florida, the country’s third-largest state by population, came in second with 224,419 births, a 3.6% rise. Six of the 13 states, admittedly, recorded only slight year-over-year increases – less than 1% – but about 1.38 million babies were born cumulatively in these 13 states last year, an overall 2.3% increase from 2021. (These are the states where births are outpacing deaths.)
13. Alabama
> Change in annual live births, 2021-2022: +31
> Births in 2022: 58,003 – 23rd most
> Births in 2021: 57,972 – 23rd most
> Change in live births from 2007: -6,801 – 20th smallest decrease
> Population 16 and over: 3,942,981 – 24th largest
12. Maine
> Change in annual live births, 2021- 2022: +46
> Births in 2022: 11,993 – 9th fewest
> Births in 2021: 11,947 – 9th fewest
> Change in live births from 2007: – 2,127 – 8th smallest decrease
> Population 16 and over: 1,126,790 – 9th smallest
11. Kentucky
> Change in annual live births, 2021- 2022: +52
> Births in 2022: 52,476 – 25th fewest
> Births in 2021: 52,424 – 25th fewest
> Change in live births from 2007: – 6,892 – 21st smallest decrease
> Population 16 and over: 3,502,321 – 25th smallest
10. Maryland
> Change in annual live births, 2021- 2022: +321
> Births in 2022: 68,557 – 19th most
> Births in 2021: 68,236 – 19th most
> Change in live births from 2007: – 9,538 – 21st largest decrease
> Population 16 and over: 4,842,470 – 18th largest
9. Delaware
> Change in annual live births, 2021- 2022: +331
> Births in 2022: 10,835 – 6th fewest
> Births in 2021: 10,504 – 6th fewest
> Change in live births from 2007: – 1,335 – 4th smallest decrease
> Population 16 and over: 797,943 – 6th smallest
8. Tennessee
> Change in annual live births, 2021- 2022: +601
> Births in 2022: 82,076 – 14th most
> Births in 2021: 81,475 – 14th most
> Change in live births from 2007: – 4,635 – 14th smallest decrease
> Population 16 and over: 5,480,874 – 16th largest
7. South Carolina
> Change in annual live births, 2021- 2022: +742
> Births in 2022: 57,487 – 24th most
> Births in 2021: 56,745 – 25th most
> Change in live births from 2007: – 5,388 – 16th smallest decrease
> Population 16 and over: 4,095,262 – 23rd largest
6. North Carolina
> Change in annual live births, 2021- 2022: +872
> Births in 2022: 121,639 – 9th most
> Births in 2021: 120,767 – 9th most
> Change in live births from 2007: – 9,398 – 22nd largest decrease
> Population 16 and over: 8,287,351 – 9th largest
5. Arizona
> Change in annual live births, 2021- 2022: +1,029
> Births in 2022: 78,442 – 16th most
> Births in 2021: 77,413 – 16th most
> Change in live births from 2007: – 24,539 – 5th largest decrease
> Population 16 and over: 5,729,139 – 14th largest
4. New Jersey
> Change in annual live births, 2021- 2022: +1,211
> Births in 2022: 102,292 – 10th most
> Births in 2021: 101,081 – 11th most
> Change in live births from 2007: – 13,771 – 11th largest decrease
> Population 16 and over: 7,336,416 – 11th largest
3. Georgia
> Change in annual live births, 2021- 2022: +1,814
> Births in 2022: 125,992 – 8th most
> Births in 2021: 124,178 – 8th most
> Change in live births from 2007: – 25,145 – 4th largest decrease
> Population 16 and over: 8,340,856 – 8th largest
2. Florida
> Change in annual live births, 2021- 2022: +8,025
> Births in 2022: 224,419 – 3rd most
> Births in 2021: 216,394 – 3rd most
> Change in live births from 2007: – 14,746 – 10th largest decrease
> Population 16 and over: 17,663,110 – 3rd largest
1. Texas
> Change in annual live births, 2021- 2022: +17,361
> Births in 2022: 389,417 – 2nd most
> Births in 2021: 372,056 – 2nd most
> Change in live births from 2007: – 18,208 – 9th largest decrease
> Population 16 and over: 22,422,004 – 2nd largest