Germany’s birthrate declined again in 2024

The birthrate in Germany continued to decline in 2024, falling to 1,35 children per woman. But the decline was slower than in 2022 and 2023.

German birthrate continues decline

The German birthrate fell to 1,35 babies per woman in 2024, according to the latest figures from the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis). This is a two percent decrease on the 2023 average birthrate of 1,38. Statistically, a country's birthrate must be just above 2 to maintain steady population figures.

While the figures reveal a continued decline in the birthrate, the rate of decline is slowing. The German birthrate saw much greater declines in 2022 (8 percent) and 2023 (7 percent). 692.989 babies were born in Germany in 2023, compared to 677.177 in 2024.

In a comparison of federal states, Lower Saxony had the highest birthrate in 2024, with an average of 1,42 babies born per woman. The birthrate was the lowest in Berlin, at 1,21 babies per woman. Generally, the average birthrate was higher in western federal states (1,38 babies) compared to eastern states (1,21 babies).

According to the figures, people in Germany are also choosing to have children later. Last year, mothers were an average of 31,8 years old and fathers 34,7 years old when their children were born. Between 1991 and 2024, the average age of mothers has risen by 3,9 years and the average age of fathers by 3,8 years.

Gender equality politics increase birthrates

In a 2023 interview with public broadcaster WDR, family researcher Martin Bujard explained the reasons behind Germany’s declining birthrate. “A deciding factor is the compatibility of family and work,” Bujard said, adding that with the development of Kitas and parental allowance (Elterngeld), Germany’s birthrate had risen to 1,5 between the 1970s and 2010s.

“Countries with a politics of gender equality in relation to available childcare have considerably higher birthrates. [...] In any case, it is important that the birthrate increases and that we consider how we can support families who want to have children.”

“The average woman would like to have two children,” Bujard explained, “That means many people aren’t fulfilling their wishes to have children, and that is a large societal problem."

Germany’s current CDU/CSU-SPD government announced in its coalition agreement that it would increase Elterngeld payments. The parties claim that Germany’s plan to regulate working hours on a weekly, rather than daily basis, will help parents with work flexibility, but unions argue that it leaves employees vulnerable to exploitation.

Freelancers will soon be covered by Germany’s Maternity Protection Act (Mutterschutzgesetz), and the coalition has promised “massive investments in Kitas and schools”.