Bihar vs Jharkhand: fertility, marriage age and wanted children

In SRS 2023, Bihar records 2.8 children per woman and Jharkhand records 2.1.

In NFHS-5 (2019-21), women in Bihar had about 3.0 children against a wanted 2.3, and women in Jharkhand had about 2.3 against a wanted 1.9.

41% of women aged 20 to 24 in Bihar were married before 18, compared with 32.2% in Jharkhand.

Since 2004, the SRS figure fell by 1.5 in Bihar and fell by 1.4 in Jharkhand.

Last updated:

Side by side

MeasureSourceBiharJharkhand
Children per womanSRS 20232.82.1
Children per womanNFHS-53.02.3
Wanted children per womanNFHS-52.31.9
Actual minus wantedNFHS-50.70.4
Women 20-24 married before 18*NFHS-541%32.2%
Women 15-19 who have begun childbearing*NFHS-511%9.8%
Median age at first marriage, women 25-29NFHS-517.718.4

* Rounded in source: one of these states' NFHS-5 state report publishes whole percents, the other's fact sheet one decimal.

Trends since 2003 (SRS)

Bihar

Children per woman in Bihar and all-India, SRS 2003 to 2023 Bihar: 4.2 in 2003, 2.8 in 2023. All-India: 3.0 to 1.9. 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5 200320132023 2.8 1.9
Bihar All-India SRS, children per woman

Jharkhand

Children per woman in Jharkhand and all-India, SRS 2004 to 2023 Jharkhand: 3.5 in 2004, 2.1 in 2023. All-India: 2.9 to 1.9. 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 200320132023 2.1 1.9
Jharkhand All-India SRS, children per woman