Maharashtra vs Punjab: fertility, marriage age and wanted children

In SRS 2023, Punjab records 1.5 children per woman and Maharashtra records 1.4.

In NFHS-5 (2019-21), women in Maharashtra had about 1.7 children against a wanted 1.4, and women in Punjab had about 1.6 against a wanted 1.4.

22% of women aged 20 to 24 in Maharashtra were married before 18, compared with 8.7% in Punjab.

Since 2003, the SRS figure fell by 0.9 in Maharashtra and fell by 0.8 in Punjab.

Last updated:

Side by side

MeasureSourceMaharashtraPunjab
Children per womanSRS 20231.41.5
Children per womanNFHS-51.71.6
Wanted children per womanNFHS-51.41.4
Actual minus wantedNFHS-50.30.2
Women 20-24 married before 18*NFHS-522%8.7%
Women 15-19 who have begun childbearing*NFHS-58%3.1%
Median age at first marriage, women 25-29NFHS-520.123.0

* 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)

Maharashtra

Children per woman in Maharashtra and all-India, SRS 2003 to 2023 Maharashtra: 2.3 in 2003, 1.4 in 2023. All-India: 3.0 to 1.9. 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 200320132023 1.4 1.9
Maharashtra All-India SRS, children per woman

Punjab

Children per woman in Punjab and all-India, SRS 2003 to 2023 Punjab: 2.3 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
Punjab All-India SRS, children per woman