Germany’s fertility rate fell to 1.35 children per woman in 2024, marking its lowest level since 2006 and intensifying concerns about the country’s long-term demographic and economic sustainability.

According to new figures released by the Federal Statistical Office, the fertility rate among women with German citizenship dropped even further to 1.23—the lowest since 1996. The trend underscores the growing challenges Germany faces with an aging population, a shrinking workforce, and increased strain on its pension and healthcare systems.

A total of 677,117 children were born in Germany in 2024, down by 15,872 from the previous year. While the overall 2% decline in the fertility rate from 2023’s 1.38 represents a slower drop compared to steeper declines in 2022 (8%) and 2023 (7%), the persistent downward trajectory remains troubling.

Germany has long fallen below the replacement fertility rate of 2.1 children per woman—considered necessary to maintain a stable population without immigration. The continued gap is expected to place growing pressure on younger generations to sustain the country’s social welfare infrastructure.

Among foreign women residing in Germany, the fertility rate was higher at 1.84 but also declined by 2% in 2024, continuing a downward trend that began in 2017.

Regionally, the highest fertility rate was recorded in Lower Saxony at 1.42, while Berlin reported the lowest at 1.21. Western Germany maintained a higher average rate of 1.38 compared to 1.27 in the eastern states. Thuringia experienced the sharpest year-over-year decline—dropping 7% to 1.24—while Baden-Württemberg saw the smallest decrease, down just 1% to 1.39.

The data also reveals that Germans are becoming parents later in life. In 2024, the average age of mothers at childbirth was 31.8 years, and for fathers, 34.7 years. For first-time parents, the average age was 30.4 for mothers and 33.3 for fathers—figures that have remained steady since 2021. Since 1991, the average age of parenthood has risen by nearly four years.

Women born in 1975—who reached the end of their reproductive years in 2024—had an average of 1.58 children, a slight increase from the record low of 1.49 among women born in 1968. The modest rise reflects shifting social norms and delayed childbearing, but not enough to offset the broader demographic decline.

While updated EU-wide fertility figures for 2024 are not yet available, Eurostat data from 2023 placed the EU average at 1.38—on par with Germany’s rate that year. Bulgaria topped the list at 1.81, while Malta (1.06) and Spain (1.12) remained at the bottom.

Experts warn that unless Germany bolsters its birth rate through policies like expanded childcare support, parental leave, or incentives for young families—alongside continued immigration—the country could face a shrinking labor force, slower economic growth, and rising fiscal burdens in the decades to come.