Kerala vs Odisha: fertility, marriage age and wanted children

In SRS 2023, Odisha records 1.7 children per woman and Kerala records 1.5.

In NFHS-5 (2019-21), women in Kerala had about 1.8 children against a wanted 1.7, and women in Odisha had about 1.8 against a wanted 1.5.

6.3% of women aged 20 to 24 in Kerala were married before 18, compared with 21% in Odisha.

Since 2003, the SRS figure fell by 0.3 in Kerala and fell by 0.9 in Odisha.

Last updated:

Side by side

MeasureSourceKeralaOdisha
Children per womanSRS 20231.51.7
Children per womanNFHS-51.81.8
Wanted children per womanNFHS-51.71.5
Actual minus wantedNFHS-50.10.3
Women 20-24 married before 18*NFHS-56.3%21%
Women 15-19 who have begun childbearing*NFHS-52.4%8%

* 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)

Kerala

Children per woman in Kerala and all-India, SRS 2003 to 2023 Kerala: 1.8 in 2003, 1.5 in 2023. All-India: 3.0 to 1.9. 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 200320132023 1.5 1.9
Kerala All-India SRS, children per woman

Odisha

Children per woman in Odisha and all-India, SRS 2003 to 2023 Odisha: 2.6 in 2003, 1.7 in 2023. All-India: 3.0 to 1.9. 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 200320132023 1.7 1.9
Odisha All-India SRS, children per woman