Recent findings highlight a correlation between the level of childcare regulation in states and the discrepancy between desired and actual fertility among women. Women in the United States are experiencing a notable gap between the number of children they wish to have and the number they do. On average, this fertility gap is approximately 0.76 children. This translates to many women having nearly one child less than they would prefer.
The difference in fertility gaps is not uniform across the country. In North Dakota, this gap is one-third of a child, indicating that women there are closer to their ideal family size. Conversely, states like New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Alaska exhibit a gap exceeding one child, showing a more significant discrepancy.
Research from City Journal, a publication from the Manhattan Institute focusing on urban policy, suggests that states with fewer childcare regulations tend to have a smaller fertility gap. This suggests that when regulatory obstacles are fewer, families can more effectively align their actual and desired family sizes.