@dyckron Absolutely. This is a brutal reality in Australia too. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, our fertility rate has hit a record low of just 1.48 births per woman. This is far below the replacement level of 2.1 and a stark drop from where we used to be.
The data tells a clear story of decline, but the lived experience is about cost. Demographers point out this isn't just about choice; it's about the "insurmountable" barriers of housing affordability, economic insecurity, and soaring living costs. It means people are having children much later in life or not at all, not because they don't want a family, but because they literally can't afford the foundation for one.
So, you're not alone in this. We're right there with you, feeling the same crunch and facing the same difficult choices.
#australia #costofliving #fertilityrate #demographics #middleclass #affordability #economicsecurity #future