For the majority of childless adults in the U.S., the reason for not having kids is bluntly simple: “I just don’t want to”. According to a new survey by Pew Research Center, 56 percent of 18-49-year old non-parents in the States who say they are not too likely, or not at all likely to have children have simply decided against it.
Breaking down the other reasons though, we can see an interesting mix of factors coming into play. Aside from the involuntary situation of having medical reasons, the most common deterrent was financial (17 percent). Looking outside of their own personal situation, 9 percent of respondents have even been put off by the current state of the world. Meanwhile 5 percent cited climate change and the environment specifically as reasons for not wanting to bring another life onto the planet.
This chart looks at stated reasons for why non-parents in the U.S. say it is not likely they will have children in 2021.
