Total Fertility Rate by Race and Hispanic Origin: 1980, 1990 and 2006
The total fertility rate is the number of births that 1,000 women would have in their lifetime if, at each year of age, they experienced the birth rates occurring in the specified year. A total fertility rate of 2,110 represents ‘‘replacement level’’ fertility for the total population under current mortality conditions (assuming no net immigration).
| Category | 1980 | 1990 | 2006 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 1,840 | 2,081 | 2,101 |
| White | 1,773 | 2,003 | 2,056 |
| Black | 2,177 | 2,480 | 2,071 |
| Asian | 1,954 | 2,003 | 1,908 |
| Hispanic | (NA) | 2,960 | 2,959 |
(Source)
20.4 percent of 40 to 44 years old women are childless. Thus, although overall the birth rate is just barely below replacement level, those women that are actually having children are reproducing at a rate that is 20% above replacement level.
Women with a Bachelor’s degree (69.3 per thousand) or a graduate or professional degree (77.2) reproduce at a statistically signifant higher rate than women who are not a high school graduate (64.8), a high school graduate (64.1), attended some college (55.9) or an associate’s degree (65.0).