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Adults in their prime child-bearing years are having fewer kids than the generations before them, something that came to a head in 2023 when the U.S. fertility rate reached its lowest level ever<\/a>. And while every individual has their own reasons for not conceiving, the soaring cost of living is a major consideration for younger generations.<\/p>\n In fact, people under 50 without kids are three times more likely than older childless people\u201436% compared to 12%\u2014to say they can\u2019t afford to have them, according to a new report from Pew Research Center<\/a>. Since 2018, the share of young U.S. adults who say they are unlikely to ever have kids increased from 37% to 47% in 2023. <\/p>\n That said, while money is a factor, it wasn\u2019t the main reason given by either those under 50 for not having kids. For this cohort, the top reason is that they simply don\u2019t want to. Pew surveyed 2,542 adults aged 50 and older who don\u2019t have children and 770 adults ages 18 to 49 who do not or don\u2019t plan to have kids.<\/p>\n Of course, young people could change their minds. But Pew\u2019s research highlights a major problem for younger generations today. While they may be able to secure higher salaries than their parents, they are paying far, far more for things like housing, child care, and health expenses. That\u2019s causing more to rethink having kids. In fact, a majority of both those older and younger than 50 said not having kids made it easier for them to afford their lifestyles and save for the future, per Pew\u2019s report.<\/p>\n\n