I'm just going to say it: The whole kids versus no-kids debate isn't actually about kids. It's about resources. I feel like a considerable portion of our generation feels like we got rug-pulled by 'the system,' and understandably so. Hence, where we are today. Money, time, energy, emotions - everyone is feeling the squeeze, and that changes the mental calculus for everyone (as it should).
U.S. births fell a little in 2025, according to newly posted provisional data. Slightly over 3.6 million births have been reported through birth certificates, or about 24,000 fewer than in 2024. The decline seems to confirm predictions by some experts, who doubted a 22,250-birth increase in 2024 marked the start of an upward trend. The posted numbers account for nearly all of the babies born in 2025, according to the CDC.
The cause isn't an abnormal number of deaths or a plummeting birthrate - though that's slipping too, exacerbating the trend - but instead a collapse in the rate of migration from 2.7 million people in July, 2024 down to just 1.3 million in 2025 as the White House does everything in its power to make the country hostile to immigrants.
Gambling in the UK isn't just a pastime - it's a cultural fixture that touches millions of people across different age groups and regions. Whether it's buying a lottery ticket, placing a sports bet, or trying luck online, betting habits offer insight into how people spend their leisure time and how the industry is evolving under changing technology and regulation. Participation trends across the country
China's birth rate fell last year to its lowest level since 1949, highlighting a deepening demographic struggle for Beijing even as officials roll out new subsidies to encourage couples to have more children. The number of births per 1,000 people dropped to 5.6, the lowest since at least the founding of the People's Republic, according to data released by the National Statistics Bureau on Monday (Jan. 19). The number of newborns decreased 1.6 million, the most since 2020, to 7.9 million.
But there was one challenge: She wasn't interested in dating, marriage, or partnering up. So, she came up with an idea for an unusual present to give herself. "For my 39th birthday, I bought a vial of donor sperm," says Terry, who lives in Nashville, Tenn., and works at a top management consulting firm. She started the process of having a baby via in vitro fertilization, or IVF, soon after.
Almost 90% of the state's school districts recorded enrollment declines from 2013-14 to 2023-24, as total K-12 enrollment dropped from roughly 3.1 million to 2.8 million students, according to the latest Topics in Demography (TiDbit) research brief released by the Cornell Program on Applied Demographics , part of the Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy. The decade also saw shifts in how New York youth are being educated, reflecting growth in school choice and impacts from the pandemic, researchers said.
Respondents between the ages of 18 and 44 were the most likely to say 5G improves their digital experiences, agreeing with the sentiment at a rate of 67%. Those ages 45 to 64 agreed at a rate of 61% while those 65 and older agreed at a rate of 49%. The report also separated results by income. Respondents who earned at least 200% of the median income reported a benefit from 5G at a rate of 69%.
One of the key reasons: homeownership. DINKS may have higher household incomes and more advanced degrees, but they own fewer homes, resulting in less equity. Having kids often push couples into homeownership: 71% of DINKs own a home, compared with 79% of dual-income couples with kids. Age is also an important factor, as people tend to accumulate more wealth as they grow older.
A key factor driving the rise in mortgage-free homeownership is demographics. Older homeowners are more likely to be mortgage-free, and as Americans live longer and the massive baby boomer generation ages into their senior years, the U.S. population has skewed older-pushing up the share of homeowners without mortgages. According to ResiClub 's analysis, 54% of the 35 million U.S. homeowners who are mortgage-free are 65 years old or older.
Corporations will have to pay a $100,000 fee to apply for H-1B visas, a pathway for skilled foreigners to join U.S. employment ranks, the president announced - up from $2,500. Trump also directed the Labor Department to revise pay requirements for these workers who, in some cases, are underpaid relative to U.S. workers. What they're saying: Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said it won't be "economic anymore" for companies to rely on H-1B visa - incentivizing them to lean on American workers instead.
After spending four years with their heads in the books, recent college graduates may want a change of scenery once they toss their caps. But in some cases, it might be best to stay put. Research firm RentCafe analyzed 122 metros with populations over 300,000 and ranked the best metros for Gen Z graduates. Each metro was ranked based on six weighted metrics related to Gen Z population, job growth, and other factors related to livability.
Peak population is coming for all of us. Sensible measures can respond to the strains imposed by smaller families, but cultural norms matter as much as policy outcomes. While Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell was undoubtedly the main attraction at Jackson Hole, there were other weighty issues on the table. The role of men and societal values in declining fertility was among them. Nobel laureate Claudia Goldin told the Fed's conference in Wyoming that it's important not to overlook tradition when explaining low fertility.
New figures revealed by the consumer researchers NeilsonIQ show Gen X consumers will spend $15.2 trillion (around £11.28 trillion) this year worldwide, eclipsing the Baby Boomers' $13.5 trillion (£10.02 trillion). In fact, Baby Boomers are also likely to be outspent by Millennials (people born between 1981 and 1996) this year. Millennials' spending could reach $14.7 trillion (£10.91 trillion), knocking Boomers into third place.
Why it matters: The report highlights the historic rise in unauthorized immigrants during President Biden's first two years in office, fueling the backlash that helped Donald Trump's return to the White House as Latinos in South Texas began moving to the GOP. Polls showed that Latinos who said they support building a border wall and deporting all undocumented immigrants jumped by at least 10 points since 2021, after the significant increase in unauthorized immigrants began.
"There has been an absolutely incredible drop in fertility - much faster than anyone had anticipated," says Jesús Fernández-Villaverde, an economist at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.
