March 29, 2018 – Women in Silicon Valley and the Bay Area are having fewer children and waiting longer to have them, dropping the region’s birthrate to its lowest since the 1980s, the Silicon Valley Institute for Regional Studies reported today.
The Institute, the research arm of Joint Venture Silicon Valley, said recent data also shows that women with higher education levels tend to wait five to seven years longer than less educated women to have their first child.
According to new natality data from the CDC, Silicon Valley Bay Area women overall have an average of 1.9 children each, lower than California and the U.S., both with a 2.1 average.
The average age of Silicon Valley mothers at the time of their first birth has increased slightly year-over-year since 2005, reaching 30 years old in 2016.
Among major racial and ethnic groups, Silicon Valley women who identify as Asian or Pacific Islander tend to have the fewest number of children (average of 1.2) and tend to wait longer to have their first child (average age of 31.2).
In Silicon Valley, both White and Black or African American women have an average of 1.8 children each, while Hispanic or Latino women have an average of 2.2 children.
By educational level, the most educated women have an average of 1.6 children each, compared with 2.2 for those with less than a bachelor’s degree. Silicon Valley women with a bachelor’s degree or higher wait, on average, 5.6 years longer to give birth to their first child.
About Joint Venture Silicon Valley
Established in 1993, Joint Venture provides analysis and action on issues affecting the Silicon Valley economy and quality of life. The organization brings together established and emerging leaders—from business, government, academia, labor and the broader community—to spotlight issues, launch projects and work toward innovative solutions. For more information, visit www.jointventure.org.
About the Silicon Valley Institute for Regional Studies
The Silicon Valley Institute for Regional Studies provides research and analysis on a host of issues facing Silicon Valley’s economy and society. The Institute is housed within Joint Venture Silicon Valley. For more information, visit www.siliconvalleyindicators.org.
