UNITED STATES—

Key Findings

  • California accounts for roughly 1 in 6 later-life births in the U.S. each year, with 116,416 total births to women over 40 recorded between 2020 and 2024, the highest absolute volume of any state, averaging 23,283 annually.
  • The state’s later-life birth rate of 471 per 100,000 women ages 40-59 ranks 3rd nationally, running nearly 56% above the U.S. average of 303 and signaling California as a clear outlier in older maternal age trends.
  • The momentum is growing, births to women over 40 climbed 11.9% from 2020 to 2024, punctuated by a notable 7.2% single-year surge between 2021 and 2022.

California isn’t just the most populous state. It’s the nation’s epicenter of later-life motherhood. Ranking third with 471 births per 100,000 women ages 40 to 59, it accounts for roughly one in six such births nationwide. And the trend is accelerating: a steady 11.9% rise over five years signals that more California women than ever are choosing motherhood on their own timeline.

The study conducted by Birth Injury Lawyers Group analyzed five years of CDC WONDER natality data (2020 – 2024) and U.S. Census Bureau population estimates to calculate average annual birth rates per 100,000 women ages 40 – 59 across all 50 states. States were classified into four regions per U.S. Census Bureau definitions; findings reflect correlations only and do not account for variables such as fertility treatment access, migration, or socioeconomic factors.

California Year-by-Year: Births to Women Over 40 (2020 – 2024)

Year Live Births (Ages 40-59) Year-on-Year Change % Change Births per 100,000 Women
2020 21,839 N/A N/A 432
2021 22,290 +451 +2.1% 448
2022 23,898 +1,608 +7.2% 491
2023 23,952 +54 +0.2% 491
2024 24,437 +485 +2.0% 495

 

Births to women over 40 in California climbed steadily from 21,839 in 2020 to a five-year peak of 24,437 in 2024, a net gain of 2,598. The breakout moment came in 2022, when a 7.2% single-year surge pushed the rate past 491 per 100,000 for the first time. Growth briefly plateaued in 2023 before recovering in 2024, when California hit its highest recorded rate of 494.5.

California vs. West Region Peers

State National Rank Births per 100,000 Avg. Annual Births Female Pop. (40-59)
Hawaii 2 477 830 173,958
California 3 471 23,283 4,943,531
Washington 7 383 3,623 946,158
Alaska 8 376 312 83,003
Utah 11 366 1,349 368,772
Colorado 12 359 2,558 712,243
Nevada 18 324 1,287 396,554
Oregon 20 323 1,700 525,791
Arizona 23 296 2,573 868,712
Idaho 24 293 652 222,756
Montana 32 256 332 129,773
New Mexico 38 246 615 250,020
Wyoming 44 230 153 66,558

 

Within the West, California ranks second only to Hawaii, trailing by just 6 points in rate while serving a female population of 40 to 59 year old that is more than 28 times larger. The state’s average annual birth count of 23,283 dwarfs every other West region state, with the next closest, Washington, recording just 3,623 annually. Wyoming, the lowest-ranked West state at 230 per 100,000, records a rate less than half that of California, illustrating the enormous variation across the region.

California vs. National Benchmarks

Metric California National Benchmark Difference
Births per 100,000 (Avg. 2020-2024) 471 303 +55.6% above avg
Average Annual Births (2020-2024) 23,283 2,826 (U.S. avg. per state) 8.2 of national per-state avg
Total Births 2020-2024 116,416 141,304 (national annual); 706,518 over 5 years Approx. 16.5% of all U.S. births
Growth 2020 to 2024 +11.9% +17.4% (national) 5.5 percentage points below

 

Against national benchmarks, California stands in a category of its own by volume. At 471 births per 100,000, the state exceeds the national average of 303 by nearly 56%, and its 23,283 average annual births represent approximately 16.5% of all later-life births recorded across the United States each year. At 11.9% growth from 2020 to 2024, California trails the national growth rate of 17.4% by 5.5 percentage points, yet its dominant rate position and unmatched birth volume signal that later-life motherhood in California is a deeply embedded demographic reality rather than an emerging trend.

Methodology

The study focuses exclusively on California using five years of CDC WONDER natality data (2020-2024) and U.S. Census Bureau population estimates for women aged 40-59. Birth rates are calculated per 100,000 women and averaged across the study period to smooth annual fluctuations. Birth counts reflect CDC WONDER natality records capturing reported maternal ages through 54; the population denominator includes women aged 55-59, among whom births are exceedingly rare, producing a conservatively measured rate. Year-on-year percentage changes are calculated using raw CDC birth counts. National and West regional averages are included solely for benchmarking purposes. This analysis reflects correlations only and does not account for migration, fertility treatment access, or socioeconomic variables.

Data Sources

Birth Data: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) WONDER Database, Natality Information, 2020 – 2024: http://wonder.cdc.gov/controller/saved/D149/D475F172 

Research Dataset: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1A1PK8BpMsJDXZY5E5VE8n1ZSseQHiFONu7s4CvqUMd8/edit?gid=0#gid=0 

Study by: https://birthinjurylawyer.com/ 

About Birth Injury Lawyers Group

Birth Injury Lawyers Group provides legal representation to families affected by birth injuries nationwide. The firm is committed to advocating for families while advancing public awareness of maternal and infant health trends through research and education initiatives.