Countries around the world are experiencing a demographic crunch as birth rates fall and populations age. The scale of this is underlined by recent research from the University of Michigan, which suggests that around 20% of Americans are currently child-free and don’t intend to change their situation.

“We found that 20.9% of adults in Michigan do not want children, which closely matches our earlier estimate of 21.6%, and means that over 1.6 million people in Michigan are childfree,” the researchers explain. “Michigan is demographically similar to the United States, so this could mean 50 million to 60 million Americans are child-free.”

Child-free future

The research endeavors to replicate the findings of an earlier study, employing identical methods albeit with a fresh pool of participants. The researchers sourced data from a representative sample of 1,000 adults who had participated in the State of the State Survey at the university, which was carried out by the Institute for Public Policy and Social Research.

To prevent the possibility of selectively choosing results, the study was preregistered, with the research team meticulously detailing the precise manner in which the study would be conducted and the anticipated outcomes.

“Many adults are childfree, and there do not seem to be differences by age, education, or income,” the researchers explain. “However, being childfree is somewhat more common among adults who identify as male, white, or who have always been single.”

Childfree future

There are apprehensions among some quarters that individuals who opt not to have children, commonly referred to as “childfree adults,” may eventually regret their decision, particularly in their later years. However, according to the authors, such concerns appear unfounded.

“Our investigation uncovered no proof to suggest that older childfree adults harbor greater feelings of regret compared to older parents,” they explain. “In actuality, older parents were marginally more inclined to wish for certain changes in their lives.”

Given the growing number of individuals who identify as childfree, the study’s authors stress the need for heightened attention to this demographic, particularly in light of the erosion of reproductive rights.

“States’ restrictions on reproductive health care may result in many people being forced to have children despite not wanting them, which is very concerning,” the researchers conclude.