Childfree in Kerala: what the numbers say
The SRS 2023 estimate for Kerala is 1.5 children per woman, below the all-India figure of 1.9.
In NFHS-5 (2019-21), women in Kerala had about 1.8 children each and said they would have 1.7 if every birth were wanted.
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Key numbers
Children per woman (SRS 2023)
1.5
SRS 2023 via RBI Handbook of Statistics on Indian States, Table 6, 2023
SRS figures are annual estimates from the Sample Registration System. NFHS-5 figures come from a household survey carried out in 2019-21. They are different instruments and are not combined.
Wanted vs actual
Women in Kerala have about 1.8 children; they say they would have 1.7 if every birth were wanted.
Wanted fertility is what women say they would have if every birth were wanted. It is a survey measure from NFHS-5, not a count of childfree people.
The trend, 2003 to 2023
In Kerala, children per woman fell from 1.8 in 2003 to 1.5 in 2023 (SRS). Across India it went from 3.0 to 1.9 over the same years. The highest value in the series is 1.9 (2014) and the lowest is 1.5 (2023).
Show the data table
| Year | Kerala | All-India |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 1.8 | 3.0 |
| 2004 | 1.7 | 2.9 |
| 2005 | 1.7 | 2.9 |
| 2006 | 1.7 | 2.8 |
| 2007 | 1.7 | 2.7 |
| 2008 | 1.7 | 2.6 |
| 2009 | 1.7 | 2.6 |
| 2010 | 1.8 | 2.5 |
| 2011 | 1.8 | 2.4 |
| 2012 | 1.8 | 2.4 |
| 2013 | 1.8 | 2.3 |
| 2014 | 1.9 | 2.3 |
| 2015 | 1.8 | 2.3 |
| 2016 | 1.8 | 2.3 |
| 2017 | 1.7 | 2.2 |
| 2018 | 1.7 | 2.2 |
| 2019 | 1.6 | 2.1 |
| 2020 | 1.5 | 2.0 |
| 2021 | 1.5 | 2.0 |
| 2022 | 1.5 | 2.0 |
| 2023 | 1.5 | 1.9 |
Source: SRS 2023 via RBI Handbook of Statistics on Indian States, Table 6. Years missing from the official table are left out, not filled in.
Writing
A 600-word essay on Kerala is coming. It will use only the numbers on this page and say clearly where it is opinion.