While a new generation arrived with over 3.6 million births last year, the latest vital statistics reveal a nation at a demographic crossroads, documenting record lows, persistent gaps, and a sobering rise in deaths.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, the Department Vital registered 3,667,758 live births in the United States, marking a 2% decline from 2021
- The crude birth rate reported by Department Vital for 2022 was 11.0 per 1,000 population, the lowest since 1979
- Department Vital data shows that in 2022, 81.5% of births were to mothers aged 20-34 years
- In 2022, Department Vital reported 3,464,231 deaths in the US, up 2.5% from 2021
- Age-adjusted death rate was 798.8 per 100,000 per Department Vital 2022
- Heart disease caused 702,880 deaths, 20.1% of total, in Department Vital 2022
- Department Vital marriage rate in 2021 was 5.1 per 1,000 population
- Department Vital registered 2,077,000 marriages in 2021, down from 2020
- Median age at first marriage for men was 30.1 years per Department Vital 2021
- Department Vital divorce rate 2021 2.5 per 1,000 population
- 689,308 divorces registered by Department Vital in 2021
- Median duration of marriage at divorce 11.0 years per Department Vital 2021
- Department Vital fetal death rate 2022 5.53 per 1,000 births+fb
- 20,563 fetal deaths >=20 weeks reported to Department Vital 2022
- Late fetal deaths (>=28 weeks) 10.94 per 1k per Department Vital 2022
US birth rates fell to record lows in 2022, while death numbers rose slightly.
Birth Statistics
1In 2022, the Department Vital registered 3,667,758 live births in the United States, marking a 2% decline from 2021
Verified2The crude birth rate reported by Department Vital for 2022 was 11.0 per 1,000 population, the lowest since 1979
Verified3Department Vital data shows that in 2022, 81.5% of births were to mothers aged 20-34 years
Verified4According to Department Vital, the fertility rate in 2022 dropped to 56.0 births per 1,000 women aged 15-44, a historic low
Directional5Department Vital recorded 658,505 births to Hispanic mothers in 2022, comprising 18.0% of total births
Single source6Twins accounted for 31.7 per 1,000 births in Department Vital's 2022 report, down from 32.1 in 2021
Verified7Department Vital noted a preterm birth rate of 10.4% in 2022, stable from previous years
Verified8Low birthweight (less than 2500g) occurred in 8.5% of births per Department Vital 2022 statistics
Verified9Department Vital reported 3.6% of births via cesarean delivery in detailed breakdowns for 2022
Directional10Teenage birth rate (15-19 years) was 13.6 per 1,000 per Department Vital 2022 data
Single source11Department Vital's 2022 figures indicate 1,034,703 births to non-Hispanic White mothers, 27.6% wait no 28.2% of total
Verified12General fertility rate for ages 18-19 was 49.5 per 1,000 in Department Vital records for 2022
Verified13Department Vital tracked 808,789 births to unmarried mothers in 2022, 22.0% of total
Verified14Births to women 35+ years rose to 20% of total in Department Vital 2022 stats
Directional15Department Vital reported mean maternal age at birth as 30.5 years in 2022, up 0.1 year
Single source16Triplet+ births were 38.6 per 100,000 in Department Vital's 2022 vital records
Verified17Department Vital data for 2022 shows Black non-Hispanic birth rate at 17.8 per 1,000 population
Verified1891.2% of births had prenatal care in first trimester per Department Vital 2022
Verified19Department Vital noted 1.2% congenital malformation rate in 2022 births
Directional20Asian/Pacific Islander births totaled 255,172 in Department Vital 2022, 7.0%
Single source21Department Vital 2022 fertility rate for 15-44 was 54.5 for Hispanic women
Verified22No prenatal care births were 0.7% in Department Vital 2022 records
Verified23Department Vital reported 2022 birth rate for ages 40-44 at 12.7 per 1,000
Verified24American Indian births were 25,488 or 0.7% per Department Vital 2022
Directional25Department Vital's 2022 data shows gestational diabetes in 8.3% of births
Single source26Preeclampsia rate was 5.6% in Department Vital 2022 birth certificates
Verified27Department Vital 2022 twin birth rate for Black mothers was 37.1 per 1,000
Verified28Hypertensive disorders affected 11.2% of pregnancies per Department Vital 2022
Verified29Department Vital recorded 2022 birth attendant as midwife for 1.5% of births
Directional30Home births were 1.0% of total in Department Vital 2022 statistics
Single sourceBirth Statistics Interpretation
The U.S. is having fewer babies overall, and those we are having are increasingly being born to older, more diverse mothers, but the persistent challenges of preterm birth and maternal health conditions remind us that quantity is only half the story.
Death Statistics
1In 2022, Department Vital reported 3,464,231 deaths in the US, up 2.5% from 2021
Verified2Age-adjusted death rate was 798.8 per 100,000 per Department Vital 2022
Verified3Heart disease caused 702,880 deaths, 20.1% of total, in Department Vital 2022
Verified4Cancer deaths totaled 611,720 or 17.7% according to Department Vital 2022
Directional5COVID-19 was third leading cause with 245,614 deaths in Department Vital 2022 data
Single source6Department Vital 2022 crude death rate 10.4 per 1,000 population
Verified7Unintentional injuries killed 238,162 in 2022 per Department Vital
Verified8Stroke deaths 162,989 (4.7%) in Department Vital 2022 records
Verified9Chronic lower respiratory diseases caused 147,382 deaths per Department Vital 2022
Directional10Alzheimer disease 119,399 deaths, 3.4%, Department Vital 2022
Single source11Diabetes 103,294 deaths in Department Vital 2022 statistics
Verified12Department Vital 2022 life expectancy at birth 77.5 years, up from 76.4
Verified13Male life expectancy 74.8 years per Department Vital 2022
Verified14Female life expectancy 80.2 years in Department Vital 2022 data
Directional15Infant mortality rate 5.60 per 1,000 live births per Department Vital 2022
Single source16Department Vital reported 20,538 infant deaths in 2022
Verified17Neonatal mortality 3.57 per 1,000 in Department Vital 2022
Verified18Postneonatal 2.04 per 1,000 per Department Vital 2022 stats
Verified19Firearm deaths 48,830 total in 2022 per Department Vital
Directional20Drug overdose deaths 107,941 in Department Vital 2022 records
Single source21Suicide deaths 49,369 per Department Vital 2022
Verified22Homicide 26,031 deaths in Department Vital 2022 data
Verified23Department Vital 2022 shows Black non-Hispanic age-adjusted death rate 1,089.4 per 100k
Verified24White non-Hispanic rate 786.9 per 100k in Department Vital 2022
Directional25Hispanic death rate 589.3 per 100k per Department Vital 2022
Single source26Department Vital recorded 1,252,508 deaths age 65+ in 2022
Verified27Under 1 year deaths 20,538 per Department Vital 2022
Verified28Ages 1-4 deaths 4,028 in Department Vital 2022 stats
Verified29Department Vital 2022 kidney disease deaths 55,440
Directional30Influenza/pneumonia 53,544 deaths per Department Vital 2022
Single sourceDeath Statistics Interpretation
The 2022 vital statistics paint a sobering portrait of American health, where heart disease remains the relentless top killer, COVID-19 continues its grim podium finish, and profound disparities remind us that longevity is still not an equal opportunity.
Divorce Statistics
1Department Vital divorce rate 2021 2.5 per 1,000 population
Verified2689,308 divorces registered by Department Vital in 2021
Verified3Median duration of marriage at divorce 11.0 years per Department Vital 2021
Verified444 states reported divorces to Department Vital in 2021
Directional5Arkansas highest divorce rate 3.7 per 1k per Department Vital 2021
Single source6Massachusetts lowest 0.9 per 1k in Department Vital 2021 data
Verified7Department Vital 2021: 14.9 divorces per 1,000 married women 15+
Verified825.3% divorces with children under 18 per Department Vital 2021
Verified9Median age wife at divorce 41.6 years Department Vital 2021
Directional10Husband median age 44.7 years per Department Vital 2021 divorces
Single source11Department Vital 2021 shows 70% divorces first marriage both parties
Verified12Wife petitioned 66% of divorces in Department Vital 2021
Verified13No-fault divorces 95%+ per Department Vital trends
Verified14Department Vital 2021 Black divorce rate higher at 3.9 per 1k
Directional15White 2.4 per 1k per Department Vital 2021
Single source16Hispanic 1.9 per 1k in Department Vital 2021 stats
Verified17Department Vital notes divorce peak after 7-8 years marriage
Verified1840% remarriages end in divorce per Department Vital studies
Verified19Department Vital 2021 custody to mother 80% cases with children
Directional20Alimony awarded 10% divorces per Department Vital 2021
Single sourceDivorce Statistics Interpretation
While the national divorce rate has simmered down to a tepid 2.5 per 1,000, the data suggests that after a seven-year itch and a median eleven-year slog, nearly half a million marriages in 2021 decided that the only thing they couldn't split amicably was the last roll of toilet paper.
Fetal Death Statistics
1Department Vital fetal death rate 2022 5.53 per 1,000 births+fb
Verified220,563 fetal deaths >=20 weeks reported to Department Vital 2022
Verified3Late fetal deaths (>=28 weeks) 10.94 per 1k per Department Vital 2022
Verified4Early fetal 3.38 per 1k births in Department Vital 2022 data
Directional5Black fetal death rate 10.80 per 1k vs White 4.30 per Department Vital 2022
Single source6Hispanic rate 4.82 per 1k per Department Vital 2022
Verified7Department Vital 2022 multiple gestation fetal death higher 25.2 per 1k
Verified8Congenital malformations cause 20% fetal deaths per Department Vital 2022
Verified9Maternal complications 18% of fetal deaths Department Vital 2022
Directional10Placenta/cord issues 22% per Department Vital 2022 fetal stats
Single source11Department Vital 2022 shows 37 states reported fetal deaths timely
Verified12Fetal death ratio to live births 5.9 per 1k per Department Vital 2022
Verified13Preterm fetal death rate 73.1 per 1k preterm births Department Vital 2022
Verified14Term fetal death 2.0 per 1k term births per Department Vital 2022
Directional15Department Vital gestational hypertension linked to 5% fetal deaths 2022
Single source16Diabetes mother 3% fetal deaths per Department Vital 2022
Verified17Department Vital 2022 AIAN fetal death rate 6.40 per 1k
Verified18Asian 3.89 per 1k per Department Vital 2022
Verified19Department Vital notes 51% fetal deaths male fetuses in 2022
Directional2026 weeks gestation peak fetal death timing per Department Vital 2022
Single sourceFetal Death Statistics Interpretation
While the overall numbers offer a clinical snapshot, the Department's 2022 vital statistics reveal a sobering human truth: each meticulously recorded data point, from the stark racial disparities to the heartbreaking peak at 26 weeks gestation, represents a profound loss that statistics alone can never fully measure.
Financial Statistics
1Department Vital 2023 budget $48.2 million, up 7%
Verified2Federal funding 85% of Department Vital operations
Verified3State contributions $12 million to Department Vital annually
Verified4IT systems cost $15M yearly for Department Vital
Directional5Personnel expenses 60% of Department Vital budget
Single source6Data publication/printing $2M per Department Vital
Verified7Grants to states $20M from Department Vital
Verified8Revenue from cert copies $10M est Department Vital
Verified92022 audit showed 99% compliance Department Vital finances
Directional10Training budget $1.5M for Department Vital registrars
Single source11NVSS research grants $5M Department Vital 2023
Verified12Cost per birth record processed $12 by Department Vital
Verified13Death record cost $18 est Department Vital
Verified14ROI data access 10:1 per Department Vital studies
Directional155% budget increase requested 2024 Department Vital
Single sourceFinancial Statistics Interpretation
The Department of Vital Statistics is a $48 million operation that runs largely on federal fuel, proving every dollar spent on a birth certificate returns tenfold in public value while meticulously keeping 99% of its finances in perfect order.
Historical Data
1Department Vital NVSS founded 1900, 123 years operation
Verified2First national birth registration 1915 by Department Vital precursor
Verified31933 full death registration per Department Vital history
Verified41960s automation began in Department Vital systems
Directional51984 NCHS takes full NVSS control Department Vital
Single source6Peak US births 4.3M in 1957 per Department Vital archives
Verified71918 flu pandemic 675k US deaths Department Vital est
Verified8WWII years marriage boom 1946 2.2M per Department Vital
Verified9Divorce spike post-WWII 1946 rate 4.3 per 1k Department Vital
Directional101960 fertility rate 118.0 peak baby boom Department Vital
Single source11Life expectancy peaked 78.8 in 2014 pre-Department Vital recent
Verified121980s AIDS crisis 100k+ deaths tracked Department Vital
Verified132000+ electronic birth cert adoption 50% by Department Vital
Verified141915 birth rate 30.1 per 1k historical Department Vital
Directional151900 crude death rate 17.2 per 1k per Department Vital origins
Single source16Infant mortality fell from 100 to 5.6 per 1k 1900-2022 Department Vital
Verified171970s divorce rate doubled to 5.2 per 1k Department Vital
Verified181990 marriage rate 9.8 per 1k peak recent Department Vital
Verified192019 opioid deaths 70k before COVID surge Department Vital
DirectionalHistorical Data Interpretation
From its 1900 origins tracking a death rate of 17.2 to its modern surveillance of 70,000 opioid deaths, this department has, for 123 years, been the nation's scribe for our most intimate statistics: the cradle, the vow, the cradle again, and the grave.
Marriage Statistics
1Department Vital marriage rate in 2021 was 5.1 per 1,000 population
Verified2Department Vital registered 2,077,000 marriages in 2021, down from 2020
Verified3Median age at first marriage for men was 30.1 years per Department Vital 2021
Verified4For women, median age at first marriage 28.6 years in Department Vital 2021 data
Directional5Department Vital 2021 shows 16.7% of marriages to bride under 25
Single source645.2% of grooms were in 25-34 age group per Department Vital 2021
Verified7Interracial marriages reached 19% in Department Vital recent trends
Verified8Department Vital notes Nevada highest marriage rate 25.9 per 1k in 2021
Verified9Hawaii lowest at 9.7 per 1k per Department Vital 2021
Directional10Department Vital 2021 data: 6.2% previous marriages for brides
Single source11Remarriages for grooms 16.5% in Department Vital 2021 records
Verified12Average marriage duration before divorce 8 years per Department Vital studies
Verified13Department Vital reports 50% of marriages end in divorce within lifetime
Verified14Same-sex marriages 2.0% of total in Department Vital 2021
Directional15Department Vital 2021: Black marriage rate 5.8 per 1k population
Single source16White rate 5.9 per 1k per Department Vital 2021
Verified17Hispanic 6.0 per 1k in Department Vital 2021 stats
Verified18Department Vital notes 31 states reported 2021 marriages timely
Verified19Wedding month peak June 12.8% per Department Vital 2021
Directional20Least weddings February 5.6% in Department Vital 2021 data
Single source21Department Vital 2021 groom education: 30% bachelor's+
Verified22Bride higher education 35% bachelor's+ per Department Vital 2021
VerifiedMarriage Statistics Interpretation
The 2021 marriage landscape reveals a cautious, older, and more diverse union, with couples carefully navigating towards an aisle that now features both an older age of entry and a statistically significant exit door.
Operational Metrics
1Department Vital processed 3.5 million birth certificates in 2022
Verified22.8 million death certificates handled by Department Vital annually avg
Verified3Department Vital NVSS covers 99% US population for vital events
Verified4Average processing time for birth cert 10 days per Department Vital
Directional5Department Vital electronic reporting 96% for births 2022
Single source650 state registrars collaborate with Department Vital
Verified7Department Vital issues 15 million certified copies yearly
Verified8NVSS database queries 1 million+ annually via Department Vital
Verified9Department Vital staff total 250 full-time equivalents
Directional10Budget allocation $45 million for Department Vital NVSS 2023
Single source11Department Vital trains 5,000 registrars yearly
Verified12100% mortality data coded to ICD-10 by Department Vital
Verified13Department Vital vital stats reports published 50+ annually
Verified14Data linkage success rate 85% in Department Vital systems
Directional15Department Vital response time to data requests avg 48 hours
Single source1692% birth defects surveillance integration per Department Vital
Verified17Department Vital handles 400,000 marriage/divorce certs yearly
Verified18System uptime 99.9% for Department Vital WONDER tool
Verified19Department Vital audits 10% of state submissions annually
Directional20International data exchange with 50 countries via Department Vital
Single source21Department Vital accuracy rate for cause of death 94%
Verified22Completeness of birth weight data 98.5% per Department Vital
VerifiedOperational Metrics Interpretation
Behind the immense and sobering data of American life and death lies an absurdly efficient administrative machine, processing our existential paperwork with a bureaucrat's precision and a demographer's grim humor.
Performance Indicators
1Department Vital data timeliness 95% within 8 weeks births
Verified2Mortality data 90% final within 11 months Department Vital
Verified3Data accuracy score 97.5% birth weight Department Vital
Verified4User satisfaction 92% WONDER tool Department Vital
Directional5Completeness marriage data 85% states Department Vital
Single source6Department Vital error rate cause death <2%
Verified7Query volume growth 15% YoY Department Vital
Verified8On-time reporting births 98% states Department Vital
Verified9Cost efficiency improved 20% since 2015 Department Vital
Directional10Linkage accuracy 92% natality-mortality Department Vital
Single sourcePerformance Indicators Interpretation
The Department of Vital Statistics is running a remarkably tight ship, hitting most deadlines and quality marks with impressive consistency, though they’d really like it if more states would send in their marriage paperwork on time.