The United States is experiencing a demographic shift with far-reaching consequences for brands: fewer women are having children, fertility rates remain near historic lows and birth totals have dropped by nearly 12 million in the past 17 years. This phenomenon, often described as the “demographic cliff,” could reshape consumer markets in ways advertisers and marketers cannot afford to ignore.
According to a study of population data by the Carsey School of Public Policy at the University of New Hampshire, 44.2 million women ages 20 to 39 lived in the United States in 2024, but more than half had never had a child.