For the past 50 years, while consistently ahead of national averages, Utah’s fertility rates have been declining. Compared to 50 years ago, Utah is 42.4% lower and the nation’s rate is 36.0% lower.

This data, along with other findings, was released Tuesday in a research snapshot from the Utah Women & Leadership Project, directed by Susan Madsen. The findings give particular insight into generational shifts from the 1970s to the present day.

For instance, Utah women generally marry earlier and have their first child at a younger age than the average American woman. However, the ages have risen for both marriage and first child in Utah to a woman’s mid-20s and, in the U.S., to her late 20s.

“Utah’s TFR has declined since the onset of the Great Recession, and that trend is not predicted to reverse, even if there are some rebounds,” the research reads.

The portion of Utah women who have never married was at its lowest in 1980, at 22.0%, and increased to 28.3% in 2021.

“A consistently higher percentage of Utah women have been married compared to U.S. women, with the gap widening to an average of 6.3% in the last two decades. But marriage rates have declined over the last five decades in Utah and the U.S. (a 6.3% and 11.9% drop, respectively),” the researchers wrote.

When it comes to divorce rates, Utah women largely followed national trends. In 1970, the rate was 3.8%, but by 2010 it had risen to 10.1%. It then slightly dropped in the last decade to 9.8%, according to the snapshot.

The research also indicates the majority of Utah children have lived in two-parent homes at higher rates than national averages. Utah women with children and no spouse is low compared to other states.

Researchers noted the cultural contexts that have impacted total fertility rates and marital status over the last half-century.

“These include changes in laws (e.g., no-fault divorce laws in the 70s, Family and Medical Leave Act in the 90s), increases in educational attainment and labor force participation, economic conditions (e.g., the Great Recession), and shifts in how Utah’s dominant religion, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, framed how couples should make childbearing decisions,” the report reads.

The Utah Women & Leadership Project asked policymakers to consider how total fertility rates impact outcomes like school enrollment and labor force participation while accounting for an aging population.

“The Utah of the past relied heavily upon births for its population growth. As the state has grown, total fertility rates have decreased, but net migration has allowed Utah to maintain sufficient growth in the labor force,” the snapshot said.

Migration may help maintain population levels, but it also heightens concerns surrounding housing and water shortages. Policy changes, such as same-sex marriage, are social dynamics that could have affected total fertility rates. In 2019, 14.7% of US same-sex couples had at least one child under 18 in their household, compared to 37.8% for opposite-sex couples, and same-sex couples were more likely to have adopted children or step-children, findings show.

“Overall, Utah is undergoing change when it comes to the formation and makeup of families: divorce rates are dropping, but age of first marriage and age of mothers at their first birth are increasing, and more women than ever have never married,” researchers conclude.

The research team’s conclusion is that the last 50 years have not seen one static “Utah woman.” Rather, Utah women have made diverse decisions about their childbearing and families, changing throughout the decades in response to cultural contexts, social norms, and personal circumstances.

“Looking to the future, community leaders will need to carefully consider how to balance resources among various population needs. Utah policymakers will need to support women and families so they are empowered to make childbearing choices that are right for them. When we support Utah women and families, we will help all Utahns thrive,” the team said.

To look at the full snapshot visit https://usu.edu/uwlp/files/snapshot/47.pdf. Authors of the project include Kaitlyn Pieper (Executive director of the Utah Center for Legal Inclusion), Melinda Nagai Seager (Intergovernmental affairs associate director for South Jordan) and Dr. Robyn Blackburn (Research fellow).

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