The Partisan Fertility Gap
America's political divide is now showing up in family size, with data indicating that conservatives are having more children than liberals. The Atlantic, citing research from the Institute for Family Studies (IFS), reported that self-identified conservatives have an average of 1.4 children, compared to 1.09 for liberals. This gap remained even after accounting for variables such as sex, religion, race, income, age, marital status, and education.
Atlantic staff writer Olga Khazan wrote in her article "Another Big Difference Between Liberals and Conservatives": "Having children — particularly lots of children — has become a bit right-coded, as the kids say. Americans and Europeans who identify as leftist or liberal tend to have fewer children than those who identify as conservative or right-leaning."
Policy Response and Political Context
The Trump administration has positioned itself as pro-family, with Vice President JD Vance urging Americans to have more babies. The administration has proposed financial incentives, including a $5,000 "baby bonus" for mothers giving birth, and President Trump signed an executive order expanding access to in vitro fertilization (IVF).
Khazan argues that research suggests the birthrate divide between parties may stem from lifestyle choices and differing priorities. She notes that conservatives may view family as central to a fulfilling life, while liberals may place greater emphasis on higher education, creative pursuits, or career success.
Pew Research Center polls support this: Republicans were more likely than Democrats to say that having children is "highly important" for a fulfilling life, while Democrats were more likely to prioritize creative activities.
Root Causes and Contributing Factors
Ken Burchfiel, an IFS research fellow, told Fox News Digital that partisan differences in parenting attitudes hold up even when controlling for age, sex, race, household income, relationship status, education, religion, and parental status. He hypothesized that Democrats' tendency to live in more urban areas may help explain the fertility gaps, citing higher costs and complexity of raising children in cities, as well as fewer daily interactions with parents and children.
IFS research also found that liberals report significantly higher levels of concern about parenting and their mental health. The data shows that 36% of liberals described parenting as "very complicated, difficult, and stressful," versus 24% of conservatives. Additionally, 18% of liberals cited mental health as a barrier to having children, compared to 10% of conservatives, and 18% of liberals were uncertain whether they would be good parents, double the 9% of conservatives who felt that way.
Ideal Family Size and Trends
When asked about ideal family size, conservatives preferred an average of 2.71 children, moderates 2.43, and liberals just 2.16. The partisan fertility gap has widened since 1994, according to IFS data.
Broader Context and Notable Figures
The article also highlights that the Trump administration has pushed new savings accounts for supporting children. Vice President JD Vance and his wife have welcomed a fourth child while in office, and former Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has publicly prioritized having and raising children. On the other side, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has highlighted egg freezing, abortion, and delayed parenthood.
According to the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics, the number of births in the United States and the general fertility rate have decreased in recent years, a trend that has prompted policy discussions and cultural commentary.