Maharashtra vs Uttar Pradesh: fertility, marriage age and wanted children

In SRS 2023, Uttar Pradesh records 2.6 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 Uttar Pradesh had about 2.4 against a wanted 1.8.

22% of women aged 20 to 24 in Maharashtra were married before 18, compared with 15.8% in Uttar Pradesh.

Since 2003, the SRS figure fell by 0.9 in Maharashtra and fell by 1.8 in Uttar Pradesh.

Last updated:

Side by side

MeasureSourceMaharashtraUttar Pradesh
Children per womanSRS 20231.42.6
Children per womanNFHS-51.72.4
Wanted children per womanNFHS-51.41.8
Actual minus wantedNFHS-50.30.6
Women 20-24 married before 18*NFHS-522%15.8%
Women 15-19 who have begun childbearing*NFHS-58%2.9%
Median age at first marriage, women 25-29NFHS-520.119.7

* 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

Uttar Pradesh

Children per woman in Uttar Pradesh and all-India, SRS 2003 to 2023 Uttar Pradesh: 4.4 in 2003, 2.6 in 2023. All-India: 3.0 to 1.9. 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5 200320132023 2.6 1.9
Uttar Pradesh All-India SRS, children per woman