ATLANTA – The average age of first-time mothers is at an all-time high in the U.S — over 26.
A report released Thursday states the average age is now 26 years, 4 months, to be exact, for women who had their first child in 2014.
Some key findings of the report:
- The average age of mothers has increased from 2000 to 2014 for all birth orders, with age at first birth having the largest increase, up from 24.9 years in 2000 to 26.3 years in 2014.
- Increases in the average age for all birth orders were most pronounced from 2009 to 2014.
- In 2014, Asian or Pacific Islander mothers had the oldest average age at first birth (29.5 years), while American Indian or Alaska Native mothers had
the youngest (23.1 years). - The average age at first birth increased in all states and the District of Columbia (D.C.) from 2000 to 2014, but D.C. (3.4 years) and Oregon had the largest increases (2.1 years).
This average age can impact the total number of births a mother has over a lifetime, which in turn impacts the composition and growth of the population.
Last year’s figures from the U.S. Census Bureau show that Connecticut, Maine and Vermont were among seven states in the country to lose population in the last fiscal year. Census data shows more people are moving out of Connecticut than are moving in, and that his has been the case for at least the past five years.
Another aspect of this data that bears further research is that a mother’s age is associated with a range of birth outcomes, such as birth defects.
Analysis of this type of new data from a range of researchers underscores the positive impact of delaying pregnancy on women’s wages, long-term happiness, and political clout.
