Overview

• The mean age of mothers at childbirth climbed from 28.7 years in 2016 to 29.6 years in 2023, according to CDC data.
• First-time mothers saw their average age rise by nearly a year, from 26.6 to 27.5 years over the same period.
• Increases in maternal age were observed across all birth orders, racial and ethnic groups, and in both urban and rural areas.
• Teen births fell to 8.7 percent of all deliveries in 2023, down from 11.8 percent in 2016.
• The annual cost of raising a young child has jumped by about 36 percent since 2023, reaching roughly $30,000 per year.