NZ fertility rate drops again, reaching all-time low

By CathNews New Zealand

May 22nd, 2026

Large family - generic (Carissa Rogers/Wikimedia Commons)

New Zealand's total fertility rate has dropped to a new low level, with more than 1500 fewer live births registered over the past 12 months than the year before.

Figures released by Stats NZ on May 18 show 57,027 live births were registered in the year ended March 2026. This is down from the 58,539 live births registered in the year ended March 2025.

The total fertility rate fell to 1.53 births per woman, down from 1.58 in the previous year. The population replacement rate is 2.1.

Meanwhile, registered deaths in New Zealand slightly increased. There were 37,821 deaths registered in the year ended March 2026, up from 37,647 deaths in the year ended March 2025.

The figures reflect statistics for births and deaths of people resident in New Zealand that were registered during the specified periods.

Between 2013 and 2023, Census data shows a 2 per cent increase in the number of people who didn’t have children, Radio New Zealand reported.

International evidence suggests there are two reasons for women deciding not to have children – their increased level in qualification and their participation in the workforce.

Massey University Distinguished Professor Paul Spoonley said there are other reasons, too.

“One is the cost of having children . . . there’s an increasingly economic dimension: Can I afford to have children? Do I want to have children and not have a house?” he said.

“And the [other] factor, I think, is the concerns particularly amongst millennials, and I think Generation Z, that the environment is important: Can I have children and not impact upon the environment?”

This problem is not unique to New Zealand. Throughout the world, governments are providing financial incentives to encourage couples to have children. But none of this is working, Radio New Zealand stated.

“There’s been all these measures put in place to try and halt or reverse fertility decline and there are literally no examples of them succeeding,” Professor Spoonley said.

“So, I think fertility decline is simply part of our demographic future.”

FULL STORY

New Zealand fertility rate drops to historic low (Stuff)

No baby boom, just doom and gloom (Radio New Zealand)

What will encourage NZers to have more babies? (Radio New Zealand)