Stat: Financial pressures lead younger Americans to reconsider parenthood

US – A growing number of younger Americans are choosing child-free lives due to increasing financial pressures, according to the latest MassMutual Consumer Spending & Saving Index. 

The survey, conducted among 1,000 US adults, found that nearly a quarter (23%) of Millennials and Gen Z without children do not plan to become parents, citing financial concerns as the primary reason. Additionally, 31% are deterred by the social and political climate their children would face.

Financial anxieties are also prevalent among parents, with 51% expressing worries about supporting their families. Meanwhile, nearly half of Gen X feel unprepared for retirement, fearing they haven’t saved enough.

Our Generations Now and Next 2024–2025 report delves deeper into the financial challenges each generation faces and highlights the impact of shifting attitudes among Gen Z and Millennials towards traditional milestones, such as parenthood.