Americans Don't Want Politicians to Encourage People to Have Children
Americans think a declining birthrate is a bad thing, new research shows. But they'd rather politicians weren't involved in fixing it.
The proportion of Americans who think a declining birthrate is a bad thing is rising. But most people still oppose federal involvement, according to a new Pew Research Center survey.
The nationally representative survey of 8,750 adults, conducted in early September, shows that in 2024, 37% of Americans said that they see a potential downside to fewer people having children. For 2025, that proportion rose to 43%.
Despite this shift, though, most Americans still oppose federal involvement. Fifty-six percent say the government should have no role in encouraging people to have children, compared with 32% who favor at least a minor role.
The findings reveal notable partisan and gender gaps.
Men, at 59%, are more likely than women, at 48%, to view declining birthrates as harmful. In terms of political affiliation, concern has grown modestly on both sides: Republicans rose from 60% to 63%, while Democrats increased from 37% to 44% since 2024.
For the minority who support some government involvement, there’s broad agreement on the types of policies they’d like to see. Fully 82% favor expanding tax credits for parents, while majorities support paid family leave (75%) and free childcare (64%).
Smaller majorities back insurance coverage for fertility treatments (58%) and public education on fertility decline with age (54%). Only 42% are in favor of monthly payments to parents of minor children—a policy tried during the pandemic that remains politically divisive.
