Kerala vs Rajasthan: fertility, marriage age and wanted children

In SRS 2023, Rajasthan records 2.3 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 Rajasthan had about 2.0 against a wanted 1.6.

6.3% of women aged 20 to 24 in Kerala were married before 18, compared with 25% in Rajasthan.

Since 2003, the SRS figure fell by 0.3 in Kerala and fell by 1.5 in Rajasthan.

Last updated:

Side by side

MeasureSourceKeralaRajasthan
Children per womanSRS 20231.52.3
Children per womanNFHS-51.82.0
Wanted children per womanNFHS-51.71.6
Actual minus wantedNFHS-50.10.4
Women 20-24 married before 18*NFHS-56.3%25%
Women 15-19 who have begun childbearing*NFHS-52.4%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)

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

Rajasthan

Children per woman in Rajasthan and all-India, SRS 2003 to 2023 Rajasthan: 3.8 in 2003, 2.3 in 2023. All-India: 3.0 to 1.9. 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 200320132023 2.3 1.9
Rajasthan All-India SRS, children per woman