The reign of the only child
Only Children Are Everywhere Now — And They Might Just Save America
In an America that is more divided than ever, the coming reign of the only child might just be what brings us back together.
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The Lede
It's not hard to see why sibling-free families are increasingly common. Over the past half-century, the cost of raising a child has increased far faster than the average salary. American women are having kids later in life, leaving less time to bear multiple children. But it's harder to foresee what the rise of the only child means for our future. In an America that is more divided than ever, the only child might just be what brings us back together.
Key Details
- Big families have become as rare as only children once were. In the early 1980s, 28% of women had four or more kids. Thirty years later, it was just 10%.
- Nothing has accelerated the rise of only children more than delayed childbearing. American women in general are having children later, but the delay is most pronounced among the most educated.
- The average cost of raising a child in America from birth to age 18 was $310,000 in 2022 — and double that if you factor in four years of full college tuition.
