Kerala vs West Bengal: fertility, marriage age and wanted children

In SRS 2023, Kerala records 1.5 children per woman and West Bengal records 1.3.

In NFHS-5 (2019-21), women in Kerala had about 1.8 children against a wanted 1.7, and women in West Bengal had about 1.6 against a wanted 1.4.

6.3% of women aged 20 to 24 in Kerala were married before 18, compared with 41.6% in West Bengal.

Since 2003, the SRS figure fell by 0.3 in Kerala and fell by 1.0 in West Bengal.

Last updated:

Side by side

MeasureSourceKeralaWest Bengal
Children per womanSRS 20231.51.3
Children per womanNFHS-51.81.6
Wanted children per womanNFHS-51.71.4
Actual minus wantedNFHS-50.10.2
Women 20-24 married before 18NFHS-56.3%41.6%
Women 15-19 who have begun childbearingNFHS-52.4%16.4%

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

West Bengal

Children per woman in West Bengal and all-India, SRS 2003 to 2023 West Bengal: 2.3 in 2003, 1.3 in 2023. All-India: 3.0 to 1.9. 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 200320132023 1.3 1.9
West Bengal All-India SRS, children per woman
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Sources

How we use these sources