Cowboy State Daily
CDC: Wyoming’s Birth Rate Dropped 7% In 2020
Wyoming’s birth rate continued to decline in 2020, falling by almost 7%, according to a report published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
This story first appeared on Cowboy State Daily
By Ellen Fike, Cowboy State Daily
Wyoming’s birth rate continued to decline in 2020, falling by almost 7%, according to a report published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The number of births in Wyoming declined from 6,565 in 2019 to 6,118 in 2020, according to the CDC report.
“The number of births among Wyoming residents in 2020 continued the significant downward trend that has existed among state residents for several years,” Wyoming Department of Health spokeswoman Kim Deti told Cowboy State Daily on Wednesday.
The CDC announced in a report on Wednesday that the national birth rate declined by 4% in 2020. The report said the decline was the largest seen since 1973.
In Wyoming, in the last 15 years, Wyoming’s peak number of births occurred in 2008, with 8,022 babies born that year, according to a table provided by Deti. Births have somewhat fluctuated in the last decade, going up and down by a few hundred.
However, births in Wyoming have regularly trended downward since 2015.
While most states saw an overall decline in birth rates in the second half of 2020, Wyoming’s rate stayed relatively steady throughout the year, with a slight increase of births in from July to December, when 3,094 births were recorded. From January to June 2020, the state saw 3,024 births.
Vermont did have fewer births in 2020 than Wyoming, though, with 5,117 babies born in that state last year.
The percentage of women in America having children also declined by 4% in 2020, the report said., the biggest percentage decline the nation has seen in nearly 50 years.
The CDC analyzed all birth certificates registered to U.S. residents in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The report authors couldn’t say if the declining birth rate trend was unique to 2020 or if fewer babies would continue to be born in 2021.
Births have generally been on a decline since 2007 at a rate of about 2% per year.
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Dean Seever
June 24, 2021 at 8:29 am
We have created a system that has turned having a child in to one of the biggest financial mistakes a person can make in their life. What else did we expect?
Cindy Livingston
June 24, 2021 at 8:55 am
I am surprised it was not attributed to climate change but I am also surprised that there was not more information given. Is the decline across the board? Are certain age groups seeing more of less of a trend? How does the downward trend of births correlate to the trend in abortion? Has the change in abortion laws allowing abortions later in pregnancy had an effect on the birth rate? Let’s face it, as a society, people are becoming more narcissistic. Raising healthy new members of society requires a commitment that the children are more important and deserving of a lot of attention and guidance which equates to setting aside the self for several years. Maybe people today are less willing to make that commitment.
Dean Seever
June 24, 2021 at 11:31 am
You must have missed the past 70 years of history where the boomers provided unequivocal proof that they are the most selfish and narcissistic generation this country has ever seen. You are aware that boomers still control most aspects of our country? They built a world where people can not afford to have children and you think it has something to do with women’s access to a medical procedure?
Cindy Livingston
June 28, 2021 at 10:02 am
I do admit that I have missed part of the last 70 years it sounds like you missed some of those years as well. “Boomers” are largely responsible and self-reliant people. Many felt like when they had children it was their responsibility to feed and clothe them without government assistance. Many refused to accept any “welfare” as they found it demeaning. There have been lots of changes in our Country and government subsidies have had a negative impact on our economy. Recently, government subsidies gave license for the medical industry to increase their prices to the point that even people who pay copious amounts of money each month for insurance coverage cannot afford to see a doctor. Other instances that the intervention of the government into the private sectors have been negative is with mandating auto insurance and providing subsidies for higher education. In these instances, the costs have risen at an alarming rate. Mostly due to businesses thinking they can charge much more as long as what the out of pocket expenses stay affordable. I have heard so many people say that an office call to their primary care doctor is $30 (for example), it is not $30, it is more like $300 (just a round number) but their COPAY is $30. So, where is the “root cause” of the rising prices? Is the the “boomers” in the government or is it the people who are screaming for the government to intervene even further in our lives and send more money? UBI anyone? I, honestly, did not understand the entire issues of student loans and the cost of higher education and the income that it provides to the government. The more colleges charge students, the more the government makes on those loans. Talk about predatory practices! There is lots of blame to go around. I just hear a lot of young people who do not the responsibility having children because it will take up too much of their personal time and their money. It does take all kinds to make a world. I hope that we maintain our individuality but I hear a lot about sameness in our technological world. Thanks for your response.
Dean Seever
June 28, 2021 at 1:28 pm
The boomers had it so easy to start out because their parents set them up for success, something the boomers refused to do for the next generations. When the boomers inherited the country they ended up sending away all of the manufacturing jobs that allowed for their success, ensuring that all generations coming after would be consigned to poverty. Boomers set up all of the corrupt government policies you speak of. Do you honestly think you can blame a generation for problems that were created when they were children or before they were even born? If the boomers aren’t responsible, who is?
Ron Jacob
June 27, 2021 at 11:30 am
Well there is 7 and a half billion of us maybe we should slow down a bit !